Expressions Of The Heart
by dreamingsstars
Summary: Tony Stark has everything he wants, but it doesn't mean it was the life he wanted. Can a new girl open his eyes and show him there's more to life than sex, parties, drinking, and goofing off? Will it lead to something more? AU high school story with my own little twist.
1. My Temporary Home

Pepper Potts took a deep breath as she stared at the school ahead of her. It was her first day at Atlas High as a junior and as a student.

They had just moved to Malibu. Stark Industries was looking for a replacement and her father was first on their list. Before she knew it, their family packed up and left Maryland. Ocean City had been her home since birth, so it wasn't surprising just how difficult it was to leave it behind. Her best friends were there, her boyfriend was there, and more importantly, her memories were there. It was selfish, but who cared? Peter, her senior brother, told her she was bound to make new friends and find some new guy to drool over, and he was right...minus the drooling over a new guy part.

"Cheer up. I'll let you drive on the way back."

"For the millionth time, I don't care," she responded, a bit annoyed. The two had convinced their parents to let them drive to school this morning, but their dad had been adamant on Peter being the driver since he had more experience. She didn't like it, but it wasn't the end of the world.

"Sure you don't."

She rolled her eyes and started the long walk to campus. They were ten minutes early and she thought it'd get them a decent parking spot. They didn't. "I was thinking. Try it out sometime."

"Ouch," Peter chuckled. "Not about Robert, right? I hate him."

"I thought you two were friends."

"Not after what he did. By the way, who does that and doesn't even apologize for it?"

"He has. Many times. And I believe him; that's what matters."

"I still can't believe you did."

Pepper smiled. They had their differences, but she could always count on him to protect her, which was what he did with Robert when he caught him pressuring her for sex one night during an end of the school year party.

"I wonder if we'll see Tony Stark."

She couldn't help but tease him. "Don't tell me you have a crush on him."

"What? No," he quickly denied, loudly at that. "I just want him to know if he even so much thinks about coming on to you, I'll-"

"Punch him in the face?"

"Yeah! And I know you think I overreacted, but I didn't." She just shook her head and laughed as Peter reminded her that Robert had deserved that punch to the face and a lot more. "And besides, I already know you think he's cute."

She kept quiet, her brother was right.

Tony Stark was a genius, but also too smart for his own good. Rather than making headlines for his occasional invention, he made it for his playboy mannerisms. She didn't see the appeal for such a lifestyle and it baffled her even more when girls sacrificed their morals for a night with him. It seemed foolish.

But she had to admit, Tony was cute. He had a nice smile, a muscular build, tan skin, perfect hair - he was the classic fantasy of what a girl dreamed for in a guy. It also helped that he had a good heart. Lifestyle aside, he was an active member of an organizational charity in L.A. that helped abandoned children. She had no clue what he did, but it made him bearable. Because other than that, he came off as an arrogant asshole.

"Are you even listening?"

She snapped out of her thoughts, not knowing how long she had drifted off. But before she could respond, a voice beat her to it.

"Mr. and Ms. Potts. I'm Mr. Thomas," said the suited man as he came up and shook their hands. "Principal of Atlas High. How do you like the campus?"

"It's enormous," Pepper replied, following Mr. Thomas' footsteps down the hall with Peter.

"It gives all our students an equal opportunity for success."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason," Peter sarcastically whispered.

"Here's the campus map, should one of you get lost," Mr. Thomas said, handing them each a piece of paper. "Peter, your homeroom is the first door around this corner. I suggest you head over now since it's ten past eight."

"Right," Peter responded. With a final wave to his sister, he left in the direction of his homeroom.

"And, Virginia, your homeroom is back where I first approached you. I assume you know where the music room is?"

"Near the fountain," she asked. She remembered seeing such a building.

"Yes." The principal smiled. "Have a great first day, Ms. Potts."

"You, too," Pepper responded, walking off. It was a short walk, and because she wasn't exactly looking forward to starting the school day, she took a longer route. In doing so, she happened to come across two people at each other's throats.

"Do you even realize that?"

"He didn't!"

The couple seemed too entranced in their argument to notice her. _Or they just don't care_, she thought.

"Then what? You did it on purpose? God, that makes me feel better!"

"I didn't plan to, Wilson. It just happened."

"He took advantage of you. I still don't know what you were doing talking to him to begin with."

She, herself, hated drama, but that didn't mean she wouldn't stop and watch a good fight if there was one.

Finding the music room seconds later, she took a deep breath and walked in. Almost immediately, she felt every eye on her. If there was one thing she disliked, it was walking in late to class.

"Ms. Potts?"

Pepper turned around at the call of her name and saw a middle aged woman smiling at her.

"Here's your schedule."

She took the piece of paper and made her way to an open seat in the back of the class, thinking back to the fighting couple. They wouldn't last. Their relationship was based on popularity - something she never bothered with.

Looking at her schedule, she already knew it was going to be a long day. She couldn't wait for it to be over.


	2. Time Forever Frozen

**Just want to thank you guys for every support, follow, and fav :)**

* * *

><p>Tony Stark was known for many things and he knew most of those things weren't necessarily the best things. High school proved it. It was the first day of junior year and what started off as a promising day turned bad.<p>

His mother had woken him up for breakfast with the promise of her famous pancakes and omelets, and against normal behavior, he voluntarily got out of bed and went downstairs. Maria Stark spent all her time in her office, which made it impossible for him to see her. The time he'd spent with her today made him aware of the fact that he missed her - not that he'd ever admit it.

He was used to it though. Being nonexistent to his parents. And when they, particularly his mother, did show the slightest bit of interest in him, he latched onto it for reasons still unknown to him. His parents gave him everything he wanted, he had it all, but it wasn't really something to be proud of. Sometimes he would wonder what it'd be like to be the center of his parents' life the way all normal kids were. Things could be different if he spoke up, but he wouldn't do it. Feelings were a sign of weakness and he'd rather keep having them eat away at him than run the risk of being vulnerable for his parents.

"You're late," said a voice as soon as Tony got out of his Audi.

James Rhodes had been his best friend since freshman year and the two had hit if off from the start since they met in homeroom three years ago.

"I'm fifteen minutes early."

"I remember asking you to be here by 7:30."

"Just be grateful I'm here," Tony stated, putting on his jacket and walking towards campus. "Same homeroom?"

"Yeah, and I..." Rhodey trailed off as he saw his friend flash a smile to a group of cheerleaders nearby. "Seriously? You just got here."

"Why deny them the joy of seeing my smile? Besides, it would had been rude to ignore them."

Rhodey sighed, shaking his head. "I don't get it."

Tony smirked, reaching over to clap his hand on his friend's back. "I do."

"Anyway," said Rhodey with apprehension, but choosing to continue anyways. "I'd steer clear of Wilson. He knows about you and Cassidy."

"Whoa, what?!" As soon as those words left his mouth, Tony halted and turned so he could face him. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

"I. Did. Not. Tell. Him," Rhodey replied, emphasizing each word.

_Right. He'd never rat me out. _"Then who did?"

"No clue," his friend replied, shaking his head.

Tony let out a deep breath and ran a hand down his face. He was drunk out of his mind that night and he couldn't remember much, even if he tried. He knew Cassidy was involved with someone, but part of him felt she had been sending him signals over the summer. To test it, he had gone up to her at his party and asked if she wanted a drink since hers was empty. He returned with her drink an hour later and was thanked by her hands shoving down his pants. Before he knew it, they were in one of the guest rooms having sex. He had a great time.

"Great," he sarcastically said as they walked into the music room.

"It's very nice to see you two again," said Mrs. Sanders, their homeroom teacher.

Tony said nothing, only grabbing the papers handed to him and taking a seat in the back of the class.

"Don't tell me you're butt hurt over this," Rhodey said, sitting next to him.

"I'm not," replied Tony defensively.

"Really," Rhodey asked with a raised brow.

"Alright. Maybe just a little."

"Because Wilson's the football captain this year?"

"Yep."

Rhodey let out a chuckle, clearly enjoying the situation. "Should had thought of that before you fucked his girl."

"Yeah, well..." He trailed off and started filling his stack of papers.

Honestly, he hated football. Soccer was more his thing...but he couldn't quit. He and his father never talked much, and when the both of them did, it ended up in fights. Joining football, after finding out how much Howard liked it, gave them something to talk about whenever he was home, and he wasn't willing to give that up even though he knew there was no use in trying to please his father.

He looked around for a distraction and found one. There was a girl talking to the teacher. She was new. He had never seen her around, because if he had, he'd remember. Her hair was blonde with shades of red in it. He could see blue eyes and light freckles, but nothing else. Slouching over, he tried to get a better view, but at the same time, she had turned around to face the class. Not risking getting caught, he decided to go back to his work.

"Who's that," Tony asked, several minutes later.

Rhodey raised his brow and followed the direction of Tony's pen to the person in question. "I've never seen her before. Why?"

"Nothing," he muttered.

Rhodey grinned. "Wow," he teased. "That's convincing." Not getting a response, he went back to work. It wasn't until another couple minutes had passed that he decided to speak up again. "Go over there."

"Uh, this is a four paged packet," Tony said, as if it was a lot of work.

"Sure," Rhodey replied, his amusement clearly showing.

"Okay, first of all, I'm not scared to go up and talk to her."

"I never said you were."

"You didn't have to," Tony pointed out. Rhodey just shrugged, knowing it would irritate him. "And second," he added, quickly glancing over at the girl. "She looks busy."

"Excuses," Rhodey sang-song.

This time, he dropped the pen out of his hand and looked at Rhodey with annoyance. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why are you making excuses?"

"I'm not," Tony asserted.

A smile crossed his face. "You so are. It's okay if you're scared."

"I'm not," Tony asserted again. "And why do I get the feeling that you're the one that actually wants to talk to her?"

"I'm not the one who's been staring at her since I noticed her."

Tony smirked. "She has nice legs."

Rhodey shook his head in disbelief. It was such a typical Stark response.

"Screw it," Tony spoke. Ten minutes had passed and he had just finished his packet and was now picking up his backpack. He had to figure out who this girl was.


	3. Watch It Begin Again

"That's awesome," Tony said, looking at her drawing of Pikachu she had on the corner of her map. "But Togepi's better."

"Togepi is pretty adorable," Pepper replied, seeing the all too familiar smile on his face.

She was shocked, but not surprised that he had come up to her. Compared to his other 'girls,' she stuck out like a sore thumb. She wasn't outgoing, she wasn't a flirt, and she wasn't a cheerleader or on a team sport. But if there was one thing she did know about herself, it was that she wasn't a Plain Jane.

"If an eggshell's adorable, then what does that make Pikachu?"

"Huggable," Pepper replied with a smile.

"Just because Togepi cries a lot doesn't mean he isn't huggable," Tony pointed out. "Besides, Pikachu was a dick at first."

"He was still huggable."

"He shocked everyone that touched him. How's that huggable?"

Pepper opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She didn't realize how much he knew about Pokémon. She, herself, had just begun watching.

He saw their predicament and dropped their disagreement. "I'm Tony."

"Pepper," she replied, removing her bag so he could sit down next to her. Even though she wasn't particularly fond of Tony, it didn't mean she was going to be rude to him for no reason.

"That's what you're going with?"

"Sure," responded Pepper, not confirming or denying.

"It's not like I'm gonna bug you until you tell me your name or something," he told her.

"You don't think that's my real name?"

"Not unless your parents were stoned out of their minds when you were born."

Pepper chuckled softly. "It's unique and I like it."

"Pepper," Tony said to himself. He was still hesitant to believe her, but it didn't matter. He would just call her that until she told him the truth. After all, she'd be irritated by it a lot sooner than he would. "That's kinda cool then," he concluded. "Where are you trying-"

Before he could get another word out, the bell rung for first period. All the students in the classroom got up and left, Tony and Pepper beginning to do the same.

"What class do you have," he asked, throwing his packet into the basket on Mrs. Sanders' desk.

"AP History."

"God, that's boring." Pepper laughed and thanked Tony as he held the door open for her to walk out of. "You want me to show you a faster way over there?"

"Sure," she smiled. She had spent a lot of time going over the map, but it was confusing from the start. Directions were never her strong suit.

"So where are you from," Tony asked, steering her into a crowded hallway.

"The East Coast. Ever heard of Ocean City?"

"Uh, yeah," he replied shockingly. He had stayed a couple of nights in Maryland all thanks to his parents' decision to expand Stark Industries to areas in the East Coast that didn't include New York. "It's in Maryland, right," he asked, looking at Pepper, who nodded. "And there's a bunch of carnival games on this boardwalk."

Before she could get a word in, Tony spoke again.

"But those games are rigged, right?" Pepper smiled. She couldn't help realizing how young at heart he was. "I literally spent like $50 trying to get this stuffed bear that..." Tony trailed off, now fully aware of his complaining. _Dude, shut up__._ "Did you ever win anything," he asked, changing the subject.

"Only for things like throwing balls into buckets or shooting at ducks."

He shot her a smirk. "So you're good with your hands?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. _Of course he'd ask that_. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"What? You brought it up."

He internally sighed when Pepper didn't respond. He didn't know why she was different. She was the usual pretty face, so why didn't she fall for his line or flirt along?

"So this is the building," he spoke several minutes later.

"Thanks." She had chosen to stay quiet after Tony's innuendo just because it caught her off guard. She didn't know exactly how to respond, and honestly, she didn't want to. He could flirt all he wanted, it didn't matter. She was in a relationship and Robert was a good guy. It would be stupid to waste what she had on someone who only did commitment for sex. And even if she were single, she'd still pass. It'd be hard to trust a guy like him. There was bound to be pain in the end. It wasn't worth it.

"Shouldn't you be heading to class?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't really care for time."

Before she could respond, one of the many bells scattered around campus rang.

"Relax," he said after the sound dissipated. He had to laugh a bit at the panicked expression on Pepper's face. "It's just the five minute bell. You're uptight, you know that, right?"

"Just a bit," Pepper responded. She was working on it.

"Oh, I'm having a party tomorrow night," he casually slipped in. "You should come."

"Thanks. I'll keep it in mind."

"You're not lying, right? Because I'm still having a hard time believing your name is Pepper."

She chuckled. _Why is he still going on about that?_ "I'm not. I just have plans."

"Really? What kind?"

"I should get going," Pepper chose to say instead, making her way to the steps.

"Come on," Tony said, lightly grabbing her arm. When she turned to face him, he added, "Think about it."

She sighed. "I don't even know where you live."

"10880 Malibu Point. It's a house in the middle of nowhere. You won't miss it."

"Okay," Pepper responded. She wasn't sure of his intentions, but she figured she could agree now and just not show up tomorrow night.

"Great." Tony dropped his grasp on her wrist and let go. Watching her disappear into the building, he turned around and smiled. This was going to be a fun junior year. He couldn't wait.


	4. Living Separate Lives

"Do you actually think that's gonna get Pepper to change her mind about you?"

"Honestly," Tony asked as he took a quick look at his surroundings. "No." He had just sped home in record time to pick up the trash he left in his father's workshop.

Rhodey laughed, his voice resonating through the vast area. "Just let her go."

"No. She's hot," he simply responded, as if that statement was good enough.

"And completely uninterested in you."

"Uh, get your facts straight. She's interested...just not yet." He knew with time she would be. "And what about that name I asked earlier?"

"What happened to the cheerleaders?"

"I'm still interested." Tony smirked, taking a couple of wrenches and tossing them back into the box in the tool shed. "You think she's hot?"

"Pepper?" He wasn't sure who his friend was referring to.

"Why would I be asking about her again?"

"Because she's been the topic of conversation for the past fifteen minutes!"

"Hey, no need to get snippy. I just wanted your opinion."

Rhodey sighed. "You can't judge a person based off a name."

"Not true. People do that to me all the time," Tony retorted.

"That's because you always make it a point-"

"Hey, I do good things too, alright? It's just not in the papers like all my other shit is."

"I know, and I'm not judging. Besides, you'll find out who this Virginia P. girl is tomorrow at lab."

"Facebook," Tony suddenly said, surprised the idea hadn't come up sooner. He clapped his hands together and immediately holographic screens popped up. Rhodey, in the meantime, hung up knowing he had just lost his friend's attention.

"Welcome back, sir," announced JARVIS.

"Hey, J," Tony responded, pulling up the feeds from the mansion security cameras. "Do a name search for me: Virginia P. Go through every social networking site and narrow it down to ages 16-17 in the Malibu area."

"Certainly."

As JARVIS went on with his task, he looked around the workshop. He didn't want a thing out of place. He'd never hear the end of it if Howard found something somewhere that wasn't supposed to be there. "Everything back to its original place?"

"Impeccably. However, your father has taken notice of several driveway skid marks. And, I must add, he is not too pleased."

He groaned. "Why didn't you mention they were back?"

"You asked me not to disturb you."

"I know," he snapped. _Great. First day back and he's already up my ass about things he doesn't care about._

He turned his attention to his holographic screens and sighed. Changing the security feed to the outside cameras, he saw them. As JARVIS said, his parents were back; currently on the lawn talking near their overpriced water fountain.

"Sir, initial research is complete. I am sorry to say, but I could not find an exact match to the specifications you had wanted."

Getting up, he muttered, "God, this day is just getting worse." He had to greet his parents sometime and sooner was better than later. "Power down. I'm about to step in hell for the next couple minutes."

He hated days like these, when Howard was home. He began walking up the stairs and started thinking about Pepper.

From her first period, he knew she was smart, so it was weird that they didn't share a class together...not that he was hoping they would. The root of the matter was that Pepper was different. She wasn't the usual run of the mill girl. At first, he thought inviting her to his party would work - it'd loosen her up. But it wasn't right. Getting a girl drunk, then taking advantage of her...it wasn't something he wanted to do, wasn't something he ever wanted to do.

Rhodey was right. It'd be best if he left her alone. Pepper was a waste of his time; today had been a good indication of that. But he wasn't lying when he said she was hot. And there was something about her, aside from looks, that he couldn't quite yet figure out and it was bothering him.

"Tony," his mother said after she'd seen him walk out the front door.

Putting on a sincere smile, he walked up to her and into her awaiting arms.

"How was your first day of school?"

"Great," Tony said, before glancing at his father. He knew Howard would ignore him until he said something first. This time, however, he could tell that it wasn't necessary. JARVIS was right.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not speed down the property?"

"Howard, he's just a kid," said Maria, immediately stepping in. She knew her husband bringing up the problem would only end up in a fight.

"He's lucky I don't have him paying the bill," Howard snarled.

"I'll get it fixed," Tony spoke, looking his father in the eyes. Howard Stark was intimidating, but he wasn't going to back down. He wasn't a coward.

"You'll just ruin everything."

"I said I'd get it fixed," he said again, louder this time.

"You're not going to spend money on something that's just going to happen again," his father replied, equally matching his son's tone.

"You do. All the time. Why is it different when I do it," Tony challenged.

"Because it's my money. Not yours."

He wasn't going to back down. "And you don't think I know that?"

"Not the way you spend it."

"Howard, please," Maria protested. She hated when the two of them fought.

"Alright," he said, backing down seconds later. "But the kid's paying for this."

She nodded, not pushing the topic further. "I'm going to get dinner started. Do not go inside the workshop."

"Yeah, yeah," Howard dismissed.

Once Maria left, he looked at his son. "You're gonna start working at Stark Industries."

"You're insane if you think I'm going to spend one second of my time there."

"I'm not asking," said Howard, coldly, taking several steps forward until he was centimeters from Tony's face. "Am I clear?"

He met his father's eyes with the best blank expression he could muster. "Fine."

"And don't forget to wear a suit."

"Fuck you," Tony mumbled to his retreating figure.

* * *

><p>Pepper sighed as she went up the stairs to her bedroom. Her first day of school was officially over and surprisingly, it had gone well. It was a little disconcerting at first to see Tony in her sixth period, but it turned out better than she hoped. He didn't even notice her in the room, but that could have been because of the girl he'd been sitting next to.<p>

"How was school?"

Pepper turned around at the sound of her mother's voice. "Alright," she replied, clipping up her hair and turning on her computer.

"Alright," Victoria Potts asked, stepping inside her daughter's bedroom.

"Yeah. What else do you want?"

"I was just asking about your day, sweetheart," her mother kindly said.

"Can you be more specific then?"

"Tony Stark's her lab partner," Peter declared in passing of her room with a wide grin.

"What," Victoria screeched.

"What the hell," Pepper yelled, shooting a piercing stare to her brother.

"Virginia," her mother then said, waiting for an explanation.

Pepper sighed. She had been vague with her mother for this reason. Some night, long ago, she'd gone downstairs to get a glass of cold water, and halfway down, she heard her parents talking about Tony. She didn't care enough to eavesdrop, but it was clear they didn't want him anywhere their daughter. Which was stupid since she already had a boyfriend.

"It's alphabetically ordered, mom."

"I highly doubt that," Victoria deadpanned.

"Well, it's the truth."

"I don't like it," her mother said.

"Well, me either. But you don't always get what you want."

"Okay, so I overreacted."

"You think," Pepper asked, which earned her an unamused glare. "Sorry."

"I'm gonna get started on dinner. I will talk to you later."

"Great," she replied, slamming the door on Peter's face once their mother left her room.

Sighing, she made her way over to her bed to lay down.

Her mother was beyond the point of reasoning, but there really wasn't anything wrong with Tony being her lab partner. Sure, he was interested in her, but the feeling wasn't mutual. Given time, he'd move on. It seemed like he had already. He had spent his entire class time laughing, flirting, and talking to a brunette. She didn't know the specifics of their relationship, nor did she want to, but she hoped whatever they had lasted. If he was preoccupied with someone else, it'd keep her off his trail. _At least I hope so, _she thought before falling asleep.

It was three hours later that a ring from her laptop had woken her up. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she glanced at the clock: 7:16pm. With a smile, she got up and picked up her MacBook Pro knowing it was Robert calling.

"Did I wake you up," asked the person from the other side of the screen.

"No," she responded grimly.

"It's 7:18," Robert stated, watching Pepper rub her eyes.

"I had a long day," she snapped.

"Whoa, what's with the tone," he asked, jokingly of course. He was used to it.

"Sorry," Pepper responded with an apologetic voice. She had a habit of being moody after her naps.

"It's alright."

She let out an airy laugh and proceeded to ask him about his six day trip to Rome. They were approaching their eighteen month anniversary and they've never been apart this long before. And since they were busy with their own lives, they rarely had the time to sit down and Skype each other.

"Oh, Emma and Morgan say hi. They want you to call them when you can spare a minute."

Pepper smiled. She needed to hear that. She missed her best friends and it made her happy that they missed her as much as she missed them. "I will. Did they give you a hard time?"

"Aside from the pep talk I got from Morgan...no," he replied with a laugh, not trying to sound serious.

Apparently it wasn't enough. "What'd she say?"

"Nothing," Robert told her, trying to brush the topic off.

"Tell me," she demanded.

"Okay, but don't be mad," he said, easing into the conversation. When Pepper didn't say anything, he continued. "Morgan thinks I'm going to cheat on you now that you're gone."

"That's stupid," she replied, trying to save face.

"Is it," Robert skeptically asked. "Because I think you believe it, too." He didn't need to say anything else for her to know what he was talking about.

"I don't. And you shouldn't either."

"Alright," said Robert unconvincingly.

She smiled and changed the subject.

Ever since the night he pressured her for sex, she had done her best to avoid being in close proximity with him. It was his fault, and he took full blame for it, but she felt it was hers, too. They had been a couple for a year and a half, she should had known he wanted sex, and it surprised her that he had waited this long to 'ask' to begin with. But she still wasn't ready, and she wasn't going to give in just to please him.

"I still can't believe you got lost with a map," Robert teased.

"Wow," Pepper deadpanned. "I have this sudden desire to hang up on you."

"Please don't," he plead.

"You know I hate it when you make fun of my inability to read directions."

"Pepper, don't. I haven't even told you why I called."

"You have three minutes," she stated.

"Our anniversary is coming up," Robert said, effectively catching her attention.

"What about it," Pepper asked curiously.

"I really don't want to spend it without you, so I was thinking about flying over to see you?"

Pepper's mouth widened into a smile at that. "Are you serious?" She couldn't believe it.

"Assuming it'd be alright."

The sleep was now completely gone from her body. "Of course it is!"

"Great. I'll be there Friday night."

"Wait," she said, quickly. "Friday? As in tomorrow?"

"Uh, yeah," Robert said, as if it was common knowledge. "Our anniversary is this Sunday." He didn't know why, but he hoped Pepper had somehow forgotten just so he could mess with her. Sadly, for him, that wasn't the case.

"I know," Pepper retorted.

"Damn it." He sighed, snapping his fingers at the same time, which caused her to laugh softly.

Now she really did have plans Friday night.


	5. Make A Heart Open

The bell rung for the end of fourth period and the students of Atlas High were now quickly exiting their classes intent on catching up with friends and spreading along the latest gossip in the hour of lunch they had.

Pepper made her way to her locker and silently wished for the day to pass by faster. Robert was arriving at six. She threw the books she had taken out for class into her locker before doing the same with her backpack. She made a move to close it, but before she could, a loud noise caught her attention. A group of guys were making their way into the hall. She recognized most of them from her classes, but only one in particular stood out. Tony was in the middle wearing a slim white dress shirt with black jeans and matching Nike high tops with all the attention focused on him.

"Should I even ask who you're staring at?"

Startled by the voice, she spun around and slammed her locker door in the process. "Oh, hey! There was this noise and-"

"You don't need to explain. We've all done it." An embarrassed smile crossed Pepper's lips as her friend looked over her shoulder to get a better view of who she'd been staring at.

"I just don't see why girls like him so much," Pepper responded, turning around to look at them. As if on cue, a group of girls came up to Tony and his friends.

"He's smart, good looking, and rich. What girl wouldn't want that?"

"If you say so. You ready to go," Pepper asked, changing the subject. She didn't want to talk about him any longer.

The two of them started walking in the direction of the parking lot and she looked back to see if her locker had shut properly. What she hadn't expected to find was Tony behind her. He was alone this time and had waved at her. Not knowing what to do, she shyly returned him a smile and redirected her attention back towards Kristin, a girl she had met in AP Calculus. They made plans for lunch earlier in the day and Kristin had wanted to take her to one of the famous burger joints near campus.

_Was he waving at me? _She wasn't even sure. Without thinking, she turned around. It turned out the wave had been to her, which was now evident by the smile he shot her way when he saw her face again. She quickly averted her attention back to Kristin and internally sighed. She was wrong. Tony was still a problem.

* * *

><p>"Congratulations, Stark. You were right," said one of his former teammates right outside his last class of the day.<p>

Tony shrugged, taking his friend's extended hand. "It could had been either one of us." After a dreadful day filled with classes he cared less about, he had finally gotten some good news. During lunch, he passed Coach Martinez in the parking lot and was told he'd be the center midfielder for the soccer team this year.

"Just don't rub it in my face when practice starts."

"You know I can't promise that." He then ended the conversation and walked into class.

He had never been a fan of lab, but having it at the end of the day made it better. They never ran the full class period, which meant leaving early. If it wasn't for the fact that he was going to spend most of his evenings at Stark Industries, he'd be ecstatic.

"Tony?" At the call of his name, he turned around and saw Cassidy sitting at one of the tables. _She's in this class?_

"You want to catch up before class starts?"

_As long as you don't make things awkward_.

"Why are you dressed up?"

"Nothing important," Tony responded, hoping the topic would end at that.

He never liked his father and now the feeling increased ten fold. Howard was making him spend time at Stark Industries for something as little as skidding the driveway, which didn't make sense, since he'd been caught doing worse things and was never punished for them before.

"Mr. Stark," said their teacher in passing. "Please get off the table and into a seat. Preferably in the one I assigned you."

Silently thanking him, Tony said his goodbyes to Cassidy and walked off. A smile crossed his face almost instantly when he saw a familiar red headed individual sitting on a stool at his assigned lab bench. _This is going to be fun._

"I knew you were lying," he happily declared.

Pepper looked up from her lab manual and could only think of two things when she saw the smirk on his face: the fact that she wanted to slap it off him and the fact that there was still 118 minutes until class was over.

"You know, Virginia, if you keep staring at me, I'm gonna start thinking you like me." He couldn't help himself. He had to tease her about her name and the fact that he'd seen her staring back at him multiple times during lunch.

She let out a long sigh. "Please don't call me that," she responded.

"Hmm, I'll think about it," Tony told her, taking the empty seat across from hers.

Mr. Jacobsen announced himself to the class immediately after. Once the unnecessary detailed introduction passed, he assigned the class the task of reading over the lab safety handout. When that was done, they had to get to know their lab partners. Apparently they were stuck with whoever they were sitting with for the rest of the year.

"You don't like me, do you," Tony asked, hoping it'd be enough to get Pepper to engage in a conversation with him. He asked about her classes so there wouldn't be awkward silence between them, but so far all she'd done was give him brief one sentence responses as if he was the last person she wanted to be paired with.

"I, uh...what makes you think that?" She wasn't sure where that came from.

"Never mind," he brushed off. He started rolling up his tie for fun until not knowing started bothering him. "Is it because of yesterday?"

"What are you talking about," Pepper asked, looking at him, still confused. But before he could tell her, everything clicked in her mind. "You think I don't like you because I'm brief with my answers?" He tilted his stool to lean against the wall and shrugged. "Maybe I'd say more if you actually gave me the chance."

Tony took her question into consideration and furrowed his brows. _Give her a chance? What's she talking about? All I've been doing is asking her questions and all she's been doing...oh_. "Sorry," he muttered. If he thought about it, he had been asking her a lot of questions. And most of his asking had been immediately after she responded. He was giving her no time to elaborate.

"And, just so you know, it's annoying."

"Well," Tony happily said. "I happen to think being annoying is the same as being adorable."

Pepper bit her lip and tried to keep the smile from coming out. She didn't expect that. "It also makes you sound like an ass," she countered, all the while packing up her things as Mr. Jacobsen dismissed them.

"An adorable ass," Tony pointed out, leaning forward so his stool was now centered back on the ground. "Which I do have, by the way. If you're interested, I'm-"

"That won't be necessary." She did not want to hear the rest of that sentence.

He smirked at the tiny hint of red that appeared on her cheeks.

"I'll see you Monday," she said to him before getting up and leaving. It wasn't long until she heard his footsteps trailing behind her.

"When did you want to start writing the lab report," Tony asked.

Pepper raised her brow. "Are you saying you want to start early?"

"Well, I am a nerd," he proudly stated.

She rolled her eyes. _Is he ever serious? _

"What was that?"

"What was what," she asked, turning the hall.

"You rolled your eyes at me!"

"What? No, I didn't," Pepper replied, in a tone that sounded convincing. Honestly, if she did, she wouldn't even know. It had become second nature to her.

"Why do you always make it a point to lie to me? First your name, then saying you had plans, and-"

"I'm not," she said, more defensively than she liked.

"Whatever. How about next Saturday?"

"Sounds good."

"My place?"

Pepper scoffed. "I don't think so."

Tony frowned. "Why not?" It was a legitimate suggestion on his part.

"I don't know you."

"You can get to know me," he suggested, throwing a smirk her way.

"I'd rather not."

"Afraid you won't be able to resist me?"

"Of course," Pepper sarcastically replied, rolling her eyes a second time.

"Your loss," Tony replied back.

She sighed. _Darn it_, she thought as they made their way into the parking lot. There was still 45 minutes until school ended and the keys to the car were with Peter. "How about staying after school or working on it at a coffee shop or something," she proposed, glad they had stopped in front of what she assumed was Tony's car, which was parked in the faculty lot. It would had surprised her if not for the fact that he never followed rules.

"But it makes sense if we do it at my house. I have everything we could possibly need," he responded, trying to win the disagreement through logic.

"Nope." He wasn't going to get his way with this. "So are you going to pick, or am I?"

Tony sighed, opened his car door and got in before turning his attention back to her. He'd let her win this time. "Alright. Whatever you want, Pepper."

Before she knew what was happening, he turned on his engine and sped off, leaving her in a small puff of smoke. She stood there, perplexed. _T__hat was rude. _


	6. You Belong With Me

Pepper smiled. Although it had been a slightly unproductive, boring day, she didn't care. Robert, after five days in Malibu, was leaving tomorrow night. He wanted to take her out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate, but she declined. She didn't want the night to come off as them never seeing each other again until God knew when. She wanted to remember it as just another night. After all, it was only the memory that counted.

"I can't wait to try this place," she said as they followed the host out onto the deck.

"Me either. It smells so good," Robert replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer. "You look amazing," he told her, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks." Looking down at her attire, she smiled. She was wearing a simple black dress. The fitted-top portion had a sassy gold shimmered bodice and the full-skirt featured a flowly chiffon design that ran mid-thigh. It was conservative, but stylish at the same time. She fell in love with it the first time she'd seen it.

"You want anything in particular?"

Pepper opened her menu and flipped through the pages of the Spurrzo Restaurant & Bar menu, which was located right off the PCH. "I have no idea," she said, still mulling over her options. It took her several minutes to decide. "Do you want to share a pizza?"

"Sounds good."

As if on cue, a waitress came up to their table and sat down two iced teas. "Hi, I'm Rebecca. I'll be your server for tonight. You guys ready to order," she asked, looking at Robert, who gestured to Pepper.

"We'll have two chopped salads with Ranch and a Santa Fe pizza."

"Alright," the waitress smiled. "I'll be back shortly with the salad."

"So how was school," Robert asked as soon as Rebecca left. "Did Tony annoy you again?"

Pepper sighed, thinking back to the past week. "You have no idea." They argued over the pettiest things and whenever it was time to do actual work, he'd try and redirect her attention to him. It was an endless cycle and it happened almost every day. "But enough about him. What about you? Did you spend the entire day with my mom?"

"She loves me," he replied, grinning.

"Only because you're becoming a doctor," Pepper explained. It was true, but there were many other reasons. "And if you weren't in Harvard, she'd tell me to go find someone else."

"Speaking of becoming a doctor," Robert transitioned, looking down and fiddling with the silverware atop his napkin. "I got a call from my dad."

She felt her heart sink. His father was a world class surgeon. He was also responsible for Robert's trip to Rome. Lately, he'd been intervening in his son's life quite a lot, so she knew Robert mentioning him meant one thing. "What did he want?" Her voice was quiet. She was afraid to have her suspicions confirmed.

"He and some other doctors are going to Africa for three months."

"When?"

"I don't remember the date, but it's a few days before the start of your winter break."

"Really," Pepper asked, trying to act surprised.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. My break doesn't even start until yours ends. I'll make it up to you in-"

"Don't," she interrupted. She didn't want excuses. Didn't want this.

"It's not like I want to go."

"Then tell him that."

He sighed. "I can't pass this up. Thousands apply to it each year and only two get accepted."

"Right. So remind me again when you applied? It must have slipped my mind."

Robert sighed again. She had a valid point and he couldn't argue against it. Instead, he used another tactic. One he regretted the instant it slipped out. "We're 3,000 miles apart as is. What's a couple thousand more?"

"A lot!" She stared pointedly at him. "I'm your girlfriend. Did it occur to you that I should had known about this?"

"I am letting you know."

She couldn't believe what she had just heard. "After you made the decision."

They kept quiet, seeing Rebecca coming up to their table. "Enjoy. Pizza should be ready in ten minutes."

Once she walked off, Pepper grabbed her fork and pierced it into one of the vine tomatoes, clearly channeling her frustration into the poor defenseless fruit.

"Look, I'm sorry. But what was I supposed to do? I couldn't say no."

She sighed and set her fork down. "But this isn't what you want. You don't want to be a surgeon, you want to be a doctor."

"It's not that simple."

Robert was going to Africa no matter what she said. And it wasn't even the fact that he decided to go that upset her, even if it seemed that way. It was the fact that he constantly did things he didn't want just to please his father.

"Besides, it'll help me out with med school."

That broke her last straw. "Is that all you care about? What about us? Is this how it's gonna be for the next couple years," Pepper asked, challenging him. She already knew the answer, but wanted to hear the words herself.

"I told you I already decided to go, Pepper."

"Great," she replied, anger brewing inside. "And you know what I just decided? This dinner is over."

"Come on. Don't-" Before he could add anything else, Pepper got up and left.

He wouldn't even give her a straight answer. She had been excited when Robert came back from Rome. It meant they could finally pick up where they left off. But it seemed as though life wanted to keep throwing things their way and she didn't know how much more she could take. She loved him, saw a future with him, but it was times like these she wondered if it was worth it.

She made her way out of the restaurant, looking through her purse to find her phone. She had to call Peter and have him pick her up. Just when she grabbed hold of it, her body collided with someone else's.

"Watch it," said the man, clearly angry with her.

"Sorry. I didn't..." She trailed off as her eyes made contact with the face. _Just when I thought this night couldn't get any worse._ "Why are you everywhere?!"

Tony held his hands up in mock defense and stepped back. _What's her problem? _"Um, you ran into me," he deliberately pointed out. Then he looked Pepper up and down. She looked great and her clothes told him she was on a date, but judging from the way she was trying to not let the tears fall down her face, it had gone south. "You okay," he asked. Not that he cared. She wasn't his problem.

"I'm fine. You should go."

"Alright," he said, not prying any further. He made his way into the restaurant. It was Tuesday night and he was having pizza with a few of his teammates.

He couldn't believe how long it was taking for the waitress to find him a big enough table. Looking down at his watch, he sighed. Fifteen minutes had passed. He looked out the window and saw Pepper there. Still alone.

"What an asshole," he muttered. _Even I wouldn't leave a girl like that. _Going against his better judgement, he walked out the door. "I'll drive you home."

Pepper looked up from where she stood and saw Tony walking towards her, hands in his pockets. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was a bit nervous.

"I won't even annoy you."

Her conscious was telling her not to, but even she knew Robert wasn't going to find her anytime soon. Peter hadn't picked up his phone. Sighing, she nodded and followed him to his car.

"So what's your address?"

"1204 Crystal Bay Avenue," she replied as she opened the car door.

"You want to talk about it," Tony asked once they stopped at a red light. They hadn't said a word to each other since she had gotten in the car.

"Nope." Her voice left no room for argument. Her eyes were fixed on the buildings out her window.

Although he was glad she didn't, he still couldn't help but wonder what had gone wrong. _Wait, why do I even care? _What changed? He didn't know. All he knew was that he hadn't cared when he first ran into her.

Finally, he pulled his Audi into Pepper's driveway. _That was painful. _The last time he had felt the same way was when he had dinner with his parents and Stark Industries board members. _  
><em>

"Thanks for driving me back," she said, turning to look at him. "You didn't have to."

He shrugged. "I had nothing better to do."

She smiled as a response. "I'll see you tomorrow." Taking his nod as a goodbye, Pepper turned around and opened the door.

"Wait." Puzzled, she turned around. "Here." He grabbed the cupcake boxes from the cup holders and laid them out so she could see each of them.

"What," she asked with a wary look.

"Take one. I think it's chocolate, chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet," Tony said, pointing to each one as he named the flavor.

"Tony, I'm fine." She knew why he was doing this.

"Come on," he taunted, grabbing one and dangling it in front of her face. "You want one."

"I thought you said you weren't going to annoy me," Pepper pointed out, glancing at him.

"Did I," he asked, feigning innocence.

Pepper chuckled softly, and instead of fighting him on it, she smiled and grabbed the cupcake on the very right. She loved red velvet. "Thanks. It's nice of you."

He smiled. "I can be nice if I want to."

Pepper didn't know how to respond to what he'd given her. It contradicted everything she knew about him. Up until now, she thought he was incapable of doing nice things without an ulterior motive.

She knew Robert didn't deserve her storming off. Becoming a doctor was his dream and if he could do anything to set him apart from all the other students that were going to apply to medical school as well, he would. She understood. It was just her being selfish again and not being able to accept how things had to be at the moment. But this didn't mean she forgave him for telling her something this important so late.

Tony stared at her, waiting for a response. He could tell she was in deep thought and suddenly he wondered if he overstepped. They were classmates. Not friends. What he just did, giving her a cupcake, meant something. Of course it didn't mean anything to him, but could see how it could be misconstrued. Was that what she was thinking? It crossed his mind driving home that she was really upset. He wanted to do something about it and all that came to mind were the cupcakes next to him.

"I can go punch him in the face if you want," he suggested with a smile.

Pepper met his eyes and laughed. "That's alright. And I meant what I said, this is very nice of you."

He smirked. "I know. But don't tell anyone about this." He didn't want anyone to know he had a sweet side. "I'll shove one in your face if you do."

She sighed. "You just ruined the first actual conversation we've had."

"Impossible. I was stating a fact."

"Oh, I'm sure." She had to give him some credit. Tony was quick on his feet.

"Genius, isn't it?"

Pepper shook her head. "You're so full of yourself."

Tony smirked again. He wouldn't argue with that. "So we're meeting up Saturday," he asked. It was 8:20 and he was secretly delaying her leaving for as long as possible. He didn't want to go home. Howard was there.

She nodded.

"Great. My place?"

Pepper didn't dignify his question with a response. Instead, she got out of his car and sighed.

"You can't blame me for trying," he shouted. He eyed the backside of Pepper's figure and kept his stare at it as she walked up the path leading to her front door. It was worth another shot.

* * *

><p><strong>There wasn't a lot of Pepperony, but this had to be written for the plot to move along! Also, thanks for the reviews, I love getting them, hearing feedback! Here's a sneak peek: a thunderstorm's on its way :)<br>**


	7. In The Pouring Rain

Pepper sighed, staring out the window as she listened to the rain pound against the side of the cáfe walls. As soon as she arrived, the skies above Malibu opened up and rain poured down. It was getting louder with each passing second, and from what she could hear, so was the thunder.

**Pepper:_ This is one of those times I question why we're even together._**

**Robert:**_** It's called living a little.**_

**Pepper:**** _It's disgusting._**

**Robert: _Just wait until you try it. _**

**Pepper:****_ I'd rather sit through one of your dumb action movies._**

**Robert:_ Oh, really? I'll remind you of this when the Godzilla movie comes out._**

**Pepper:_ BRING IT ON._**

"Miss, here's your iced vanilla latté."

She looked up from where she sat and thanked the barista. She has been here twenty minutes and Tony had yet to make an appearance. She didn't know why she bothered coming on time.

Her phone buzzed again and she picked it up. For some reason, she hoped it was him telling her he was almost here. The thunder was getting stronger and the rain was now falling down like the sound of hail. She didn't want an accident.

**Robert:_ Just remember you said it._**

"Hey, Pep. Did you miss me?"

Glancing up, she saw Tony in front of her, drenched in rain water. "Depends. Did you miss me?" Sometimes with Tony, she had to amuse herself.

"Course I did," he replied, a smile on his face. "Who else am I gonna annoy?"

"How about someone other than me," she impassively suggested.

Tony took his seat. "Are you always this moody?"

"I am not answering that," she told him, taking a sip of her drink.

"You just did," he responded, grabbing a handful of napkins from its stainless steel container and running them through his hair. He knew enough about girls to know when they refused to answer a question, it was because the guy had a point.

"Can we just get this over with," Pepper asked, pulling out her lab manual and flipping to a certain page.

He smiled. He was already getting under her skin.

"I thought one of us could do the intro, calculations, and graphs while the other does the discussion since it has to be 8-10 pages long."

"You can't write the discussion without first finishing the graphs."

"I know. And since I have all the data, I thought you could do the discussion."

"Okay," he agreed. He understood her logic.

Pepper, on the other hand, could not believe just how well her suggestion had turned out.

"Why are you looking at me like that," Tony asked, averting his stare from the window as another flash of lightning illuminated the dark contrast of the sky.

"Why are you being so reasonable?"

"What? I'm not allowed?"

"It's weird," Pepper countered, staring at him.

"It's practical."

"It's...you know what? Never mind." It wasn't worth arguing.

Tony smirked. This day was getting better already. He was annoying Pepper by not being annoying at all.

"Can we go over the presentation questions?"

"What are they," he asked, wary of her reply.

Pepper looked up from her paper and sighed. "You didn't look at them?" She should had known better than to think he'd come prepared.

He innocently responded. "It's what I have you for."

"You're impossible," she retorted, handing her paper to him. As he read through the questions, she pulled out her phone and replied Robert's text.

**Pepper:_ I won't even complain. _**

She got his response seconds later.

**Robert:_ I wouldn't be too sure. I hear it's over 2 hrs long._**

"You don't get this," Tony asked. "It's fifth grade science."**  
><strong>

"You learned about the role of arterial carbon dioxide and pH in ventilation regulation when you were ten?"

"Yeah. Who doesn't?"

"Well, for starters, everyone in this room," Pepper responded, gesturing with her hands.

"I must be special then," he concluded. The smile he had plastered on his face caused her to roll her eyes. "Anyways, it's really simple. There's a receptor in your brain that senses change in carbon dioxide in your body. Let's say you're doing cardio. When you exercise, your muscles quickly accumulate a high concentration of metabolic waste, which is what carbon dioxide is, and that's cause oxygen's being used at a greater rate. To put up with the high demand, your heart is gonna pump faster to deliver more blood to the tissues. In return, your respiratory center will increase ventilation so the waste can leave the body. pH decreases during low levels of oxygen. It's why you feel fatigued after a workout."

"Okay," Pepper cautiously said, trying to articulate everything she just heard. It wasn't working too well. He had said the information too fast. "What about that receptor you mentioned?"

"It's the respiratory center, which is activated by a neural signal sent from the heart."

"Alright," she cautioned again. It'd make more sense to her once she read their text.

"I'll draw it out for you," Tony offered, taking her pen and paper to map out a diagram that would be easy for her to understand. He had a habit of forgetting that people weren't as smart as he was. But, before he could finish, the lights in the cáfe turned off.

Looking up, he could see that the buildings nearby had experienced the same problem. In fact, if he looked further out, the entire town seemed affected by it.

"This is your fault," Pepper said, looking at him once the manager had finished announcing the entire town was experiencing a power outage.

"How?"

"If you hadn't chosen Saturday, I wouldn't be stuck here."

"Um, I did offer to do this at my house," he reminded her.

"For completely different reasons."

"At least we'd have electricity," Tony remarked.

"No one has electricity, Einstein." She grabbed her phone and sighed upon seeing the 'no service' words.

"As usual, I'm the exception," he told her, getting up. He was soaking wet, so he sure wasn't going to spend the rest of the night waiting for the power to come back.

"Where are you going?"

"Home," he said, like it was the most logical answer.

Pepper's eyes widened. "Are you nuts? You can barely see, let alone drive!"

"I'll risk it."

"It's dangerous, Tony," she sternly responded.

Now he was amused. "Are you saying you care about me?"

"If you don't wipe that stupid smile off your face, I'm gonna toss my drink at you."

"That's a bit excessive, don't you...alright," he said, raising his voice as Pepper picked up her drink. "But I can't stay here. I'll get bored, and trust me, me being bored is a lot worse than me being annoying."

"You can get worse than this," Pepper questioned. He nodded. Maybe she'd try a different route. "You drive like a maniac."

"I got you home safely, didn't I?"

"That's not the point."

Then an idea struck him. "You could come with me."

"You can't be serious," she deadpanned. It was like he hadn't listened to a word she said.

"I'll drive slower and safer knowing you're there," Tony replied, shrugging, and obviously taking full advantage of her concern for him.

Pepper looked around the room, weighing out her options. She couldn't call her parents and Peter had dropped her off. She couldn't do anything but sit here and weather out the storm. There was no telling how long that'd take.

But, then again, could she really trust him? They barely knew each other, and given his reputation, it wasn't the best idea.

She looked at him intently, trying to decide whether or not he was up to something. He stared back at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Look, I know I'm not the most trustworthy guy to get in a car with, but I'm not gonna try anything."

"Alright," she said, getting up. She didn't know why, but when he said that, she believed him. After all, he'd been nothing but nice to her since they met, so she couldn't think too badly of him.

* * *

><p>Pepper couldn't believe her eyes. They were currently driving down a private, lit up driveway made of stone pavers, no doubt to his home. The storm wasn't any better, but she did notice a subtle change. The skies weren't ridden with lightning every few seconds. But that didn't matter right now. She was too busy staring out her window. Granted, she couldn't see much, but what she could see left her speechless. The Stark property was beautiful.<strong><em><br>_**

Tony glanced at her, knowing she wasn't paying attention to anything but the property. He didn't understand why people were so fascinated by their home. They were loaded and everyone knew it.

Pulling to a stop on the circular driveway, he sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"You sure you don't wanna run in the rain?" He had asked her the same question earlier.

Pepper laughed. "I'm sure."

He pouted. "You're no fun."

Together they got out of the car and made a dash to the door, immediately heading inside once they got to it.

"I'm gonna go change, so...um, you can...do whatever you want," he finally said. He didn't know why, but he was having trouble directing where she should go. Aside from Rhodey and Happy, he didn't have guests.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. Once he retreated up the stairs and was out of sight, she looked around. She didn't know what to do or where to go. The living room was next to her, but instead of heading over, she went to the kitchen. There were far less expensive things there.

She sat her bag down and took a seat, glancing around. It was a French colonial kitchen. The ceiling was high and there were beige colored emblematic wooden arches that connected with the dark wooden ceiling of the living room. There wasn't much to look at kitchenware wise, but it was still stunning.

"Tony, there's something I want..." Pepper turned her attention to the sound of heels clacking on the stone tiled floor. "...to talk to you about. I know your dad's making you...oh," said Maria suddenly, realizing it wasn't her son in the room. "I'm sorry. I thought you were Anthony."

Pepper got up from her seat.

"I should had known." Maria laughed, extending her hand. "Tony's never this quiet. I'm his mother, Maria. And you are?"

"Pepper," she said, taking her hand. "We were just working on our lab report."

"Really," Maria asked. That was the last thing she expected to hear. "Well, he's lucky to have you then. You seem like a smart girl."

"Thanks. I'm sorry if I'm intruding. I know it's kind of late."

"Oh, relax. I was just doing some online shopping."

Pepper kindly laughed and watched as Maria walked into the kitchen. She was beautiful. The pictures in the magazines didn't do her justice. "I like your outfit."

Maria smiled, pulling out a plate of cookies. "I knew I liked you. Are you hungry? I can make you something."

"Oh, that's not necessary, Mrs. Stark," Pepper quickly said.

"Alright, but if you need...there you are," Maria exclaimed, seeing her son making his way into the kitchen. "You know, it's not nice to leave Pepper out here this long."

"Did you say bad things about me," Tony asked, directing the question to his mother, but looking at Pepper for an answer.

"I would never. And your friend didn't either, so you can stop staring. We were talking about clothes."

"Sure," he sarcastically said.

"So what's going on," Maria questioned, shooting her son a scowling look when he shoved a cookie into his mouth.

"I found out Pepper likes me."

"What?!"

Pepper acted like he thought she would. "You practically begged me to take you with me."

"That's ridiculous."

"You wouldn't let me leave! I mean, besides that being the reason, what else could it be?"

"How about not wanting you to crash into a tree?"

Maria stood back and watched the argument in amusement. It was clear to her that her son was fond of Pepper, and not just in a platonic way. It was too bad he didn't realize it just yet. "Ahem," she voiced, clearing her throat.

Both Tony and Pepper turn to look at her. Pepper put her head in her hands, clearly frustrated and embarrassed by the situation. Tony, on the other hand, smiled and took a bite of another cookie.

"Get some work done, alright? I'll be upstairs in a conference call with Milan," Maria said, treading back to her office.

Pepper sighed. "That was embarrassing."

"Please. She's caught me doing worst things," Tony responded, walking over to the refrigerator and taking out a tub of ice cream. "You want some?"

"Just a little."

"So what did you and my mom talk about," he asked, grabbing two bowls out of a cabinet.

"Clothes," Pepper responded, rummaging through her purse for her cell. Maybe the power had been restored.

"You're gonna stick with that?"

"Well, yeah. It's the truth." _Damn it. _No signal.

"Fine," Tony said, handing Pepper her bowl. Grabbing one of the stools nearby, he dragged it across from her and sat down.

"JARVIS, turn on the TV, will you?"

"Certainly, sir."

Pepper jumped at the sound and looked at the ceiling, perplexed.

"That's JARVIS. He's an intelligence system I created."

"You created that," she asked, not entirely believing it. She knew Tony was smart, but she had no idea he had the ability to create multifunctional systems.

Tony shrugged. "Yeah. I did it one day when I was bored."

"So what does he do?"

"Anything. Make phone calls, do research, turn on the sprinklers, control security cameras, break into databases and-"

"Oh," Pepper interrupted. "So everything but knowing how to make you less annoying."

"That's mean," Tony said, pointing his spoon at her.

She just laughed and ate a spoonful of her ice cream. "I'm pretty sure your ego can take it."

"I'm not sure it can," he responded. "I think my heart's hurting."

Pepper rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the noise coming from the TV. The Big Bang Theory was on.

The two stayed quiet after that, except for the occasional laugh or comment.

"Do you know if the power's back," she asked when the credits rolled.

"Power is not expected to be restored until the storm has passed," JARVIS announced.

"He keeps himself updated on currents events, too," Tony told her, rolling his eyes. He got up and grabbed Pepper's bowl before throwing them into the sink. "What are you doing," he asked once he turned back around.

"What," Pepper asked, looking up. Since she had nothing better to do, she thought it'd be a good time to get some work done.

"Come on," Tony said, walking over and taking the pencil from her hand.

"What," she exasperated.

"Stop being an overachiever. It doesn't suit you," he said, then grabbing her notebook and closing it.

"Fine." Pepper sighed, taking her belongings back. Then she stared at him indignantly. "What did you want to do?"

"I, uh..." _Crap._ He hadn't thought that far yet. "Oh, wait. I got it." Pepper furrowed her brows when she saw the grin on his face. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Truth or dare."

"Absolutely not," she remarked, quickly excusing the idea.

"We'll keep it PG-13," Tony noted, smiling innocently.

"It's still a no," she said. He wouldn't hold up to his end of the deal.

"Spin the bottle?"

"With two people," Pepper asked.

Tony perked up. "So you're open to it?"

"No. Don't you have board games," she asked, changing the subject. He shot her a lopsided frown and shrugged. "Okay..." _There must be something we can do._

"20 questions," he suggested.

"Tony, how is that any different...you know what? Fine," she decided, setting her notebook down.

"Really," he asked, surprised.

"As long as you keep it PG," she reminded him.

"Not a problem," Tony told her, before taking a seat at his stool. "I'll go first. You like pickles?"


	8. Til The Morning Sun

"What kind of question is that?"

"You just wasted one of yours."

If she'd known Tony would be this way, she would have never agreed to this. "What? No, I didn't!"

"That's another," he pointed out, smirking.

Pepper sighed, giving him an exasperated look before answering his question. "I don't like pickles."

"Why not?"

"They smell bad and taste weird."

"Mushrooms?"

"On pizza."

"Superhero or mummy? What would you rather be?"

She considered it for a second. "Mummy."

Tony frowned. "Seriously? Mummies are dead."

"Mummies are in the realm of possibilities. Superheroes are not."

"You're so gonna wish they were when you're attacked by zombies."

"There are no such things as zombies."

"Yet," he told her.

"Your imagination leaves a lot to be desired."

"At least I have one," he muttered, thinking of a new question. "Are you scared of any animals?"

"Frogs," Pepper replied instantly, a chill running down her spine.

"Frogs? Really," Tony asked.

"Yeah. They're ugly, slimy, and everywhere."

"What if I told you I had frogs," he asked, keeping a straight face. Of course he was kidding. He only brought it up to toy with her, and not surprisingly, it worked.

"You wouldn't." Her face was serious. She wasn't playing around.

"Relax," Tony said, laughing. "The only animals near you are fishes swimming in a tank behind four inches of solid, unbreakable glass."

"Really," Pepper asked. She hoped it was true.

"Really," Tony confirmed, a sincere smile on his face. Finally her shoulders relaxed. "You hurt my ego. I had to get you back somehow."

"Please. We both know I barely scratched its surface."

"True. So just real frogs, right? You wouldn't run across the room if you saw a stuffed one?"

"Of course not," Pepper responded, sitting back in her chair.

"Now I know what to get you for your birthday."

"You don't even know when that is." And she'd never tell him it.

"Right," he thought. "When is it?" He smiled when he saw hers disappear. "You can't lie, remember?"

She sighed, having forgotten they were in the middle of 20 questions. "October 16th."

"Really? That's less than a month away. I'll get you something."

Pepper immediately took that as a bad sign. "Tony, I swear to God, if I find a frog sitting on my desk when I walk into class, I will..."

"I was thinking about a stuffed one!"

"...literally kick you in the ass," she finished. She didn't care if he was kidding or not.

"Relax, Pep. I'd never do that to you. You're like..." He trailed off, stopping himself. _What the hell did I just say?_

He looked up and saw that she was waiting for him to finish his sentence. Thankfully, before he said anything, her phone rang.

Pepper glanced at the caller ID, then looked at him apologetically. "I have to take this."

"Yeah, go ahead," he responded, waving her off. He watched her walk into the living room.

"Hi, dad. I'm fine. No, we got away from the storm before it turned serious. I'm at a friend's house. Um, no. I don't think so. I did try calling the house, but there was no a signal."

Tony listened in. Her dad was worried about her. _W__onder what that feels like._

He sighed, mentally slapping himself in the face. He wasn't sure why he had said that. And, more importantly, what did it mean? He had spoken on autopilot and it wasn't until he heard the words come out of his mouth that he realized what he said. _"Relax, Pep. I'd never do that to you. You're like..."_ He was happy to had caught himself mid-sentence. Maybe Rhodey was right. Maybe on some level he liked Pepper more than he realized.

Until now, he had used his libido as an excuse. If he looked back on the past two weeks and this night, the writing was written clearly on the wall. He invited her to his house, talked to her more than any other girl he'd known since high school, and he even gave her a cupcake - which was a huge deal since he didn't share food. _Or, _he thought, _maybe I consider her a friend? _

"Tony?" _Great. Now she's in my head._

"Tony!" Her voice called his name again, but this time, he looked in the direction of the sound to see Pepper staring at him.

"JARVIS is trying to get your attention."

"What'd he say," he asked, shaking Pepper out of her thoughts.

"A tree collapsed on your Audi."

"What?!" She chuckled at how wide Tony's eyes had gotten. She would never understand the bond men had with their cars. Maybe it was like what women had with shoes?

Pushing past her, he made his way to the front door. "Son of a bitch! I just bought that car!"

She walked up to him. "Maybe it's fixable."

"Pepper, look at it." Tony grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her in front of him so she could see the damage. It wasn't fixable. Not in the slightest.

"At least you have a real reason to buy another car," she told him, turning around and giving him a sympathetic smile.

"Whatever." He sighed, averting his gaze from the glass window and back to the girl in front of him. "What did your dad want?"

"Oh, he was just worried because he couldn't get a hold of me. I told him I was okay, but there's something I have to ask you."

"What," Tony cautiously asked, sensing the hesitation in her voice.

"When I told my dad that I was at a friend's house, I couldn't say it was yours because...well, he'd kill me, so I lied. He bought it, but when I told him you'd be driving me home soon, he said the PCH was closed and that whoever tried to drive across it would be told to turn back around."

Pepper said all she had to for him to catch her drift. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to react.

"Huh," he replied, sounding indifferent.

"Look, I know it's..." Unbeknownst to her, Tony wasn't paying attention to anything she was saying. His mind had wandered back to what he realized moments ago.

"Pep, it's no problem," he said, interrupting her train of thought.

"Really?"

"But I have two conditions," Tony stated, holding two fingers up as he said so.

"What," she asked, knowing she had no other choice.

"You can't roll your eyes at me for a month."

"Fine," Pepper said, folding her arms and looking at him.

"Two, you owe me a favor."

"What kind?" He shrugged. "They're not negotiable?" He shook his head in a no. With a sigh, she caved in. "Fine."

"Wow, I can't believe you agreed to that," Tony said, laughing as he walked off. He was going to have fun coming up with something.

* * *

><p>"My mom's probably asleep," he said as they walked up the stairs.<p>

"I'm usually in bed at this hour, too." It was almost 2am and they had just finished watching The Purge.

"Really," Tony asked, looking back at her. "Do you even know what it's like to have fun?"

"I have plenty of fun."

"Watching Pokémon on Friday nights does not constitute as fun."

"Neither do Saturday morning hangovers."

"They're actually the best part. Which you would know if you ever had one."

"Wow," Pepper deadpanned. "Did you just imply that I'm a prude?"

"I don't know." He turned around and started walking backwards so he could face her. "Did you roll your eyes?"

"No," she said, following him down the hall.

"Then I didn't imply anything," he said, smiling at her. He then turned back around and opened the door to his room. Now, that time, she really did want to.

To say she was floored when she walked in was an understatement. His room was bigger than hers and her parents combined.

"Here," Tony said, his voice snapping her out of her thoughts. "I don't think you want to sleep in pants." She nodded in agreement and grabbed the shorts from his hands. "Bathroom's here," he told her, walking over to show her. "There's towels on the shelf, so feel free to use them if you want."

"Do you have a toothbrush?"

"Yeah. Somewhere," he muttered. He walked inside the bathroom and pretended to look around. "You're just gonna have to find them yourself," he said seconds later. He honestly had no clue where unused things were at.

"You don't mind me going through your stuff?"

"Not really. But if you need help changing, I'm more than willing to help," he said, making an attempt to grab his shorts.

"I'll be fine," Pepper replied, holding back a roll of her eyes. Instead, she slammed the door.

At least he hit a nerve. He went into the closet to find an extra blanket and pillow. He was going to set Pepper up in the room next door, but ultimately couldn't. It was the room he took girls to and she deserved better.

"Fuck," he said, leaning against the wall. He hated being alone with his thoughts.

He couldn't think much of his problem because his bathroom door had crept open. Turning around, he saw Pepper dressed in his shorts and a camisole.

"Where can I put this," she asked, holding up her clothes.

"Just set it on the window seat." She nodded and did so. "So I was thinking you could take my bed."

"Tony, that's not necessary." She had imposed herself on him. The last thing she wanted was for him to kick himself out of his own bed for her comfort.

"Can you just once let me be nice to you without fighting me on it?"

"I'm not fighting you on it," Pepper explained. "I don't want to impose."

"You aren't. And the couch is actually really comfortable, so I'll be fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Relax." With that, Tony left.

Pepper shook her head and looked around his room once he closed the door to the bathroom. His bedroom was decorated in a grey, silver, and black color scheme and it matched his pillow and comforter set on his king sized bed.

Walking around, she noticed some things that stuck out: model cars, circuit boards, engineering books, an X-box and Playstation, junk food, video games, a signed soccer ball.

She quickly headed over to the bed when she heard the water shut off. Setting her phone on the side, she pulled off the covers. What she saw in the center of his bed was unexpected: a teddy bear.

Leaning over, she retrieved it. She could tell that the bear had been through a lot, but even with its scars, it was adorable.

"What are you looking at," Tony asked, walking out the bathroom.

"This," she replied, turning to show him his stuffed bear and not bothering to hide the smile on her face.

"Hey. That's mine," he said. Before she knew it, he had gone over to her and grabbed the bear out of her hand.

"I think it's cute that you have a stuffed animal," Pepper said, watching as he placed the brown bear next to his blanket. "What's his name?"

"Waffles."

She thought about the name as she got on top the bed. "It fits him."

"Of course it does." He laid down and told JARVIS to turn off the night. He was exhausted.

"Tony?"

"Yeah," he tiredly asked, keeping his eyes closed.

"You don't sleep naked, do you?"

His eyes instantly snapped open. "What?" Shocked at what he just heard, he sat up and looked at her.

"Well, I don't think I'll be comfortable sleeping in your bed if you-"

"You know what, Pep? You shouldn't complain. A lot of girls would die to be in your position right now."

This time, she sat up. "That's disgusting."

"Doesn't make it less true," Tony smirked.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Are you gonna give me an answer?"

"Oh, right. No."

Pepper said nothing, shooting him a dubious look.

"I swear," he said, putting his hands up.

"Okay then," she mumbled, still hesitant, but deciding to lay back down.

"Night, Pepper."

"You too, Tony."

It didn't take long for both of them to fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Glad you guys like Maria. I thought it'd be fun to write from Tony's point of view, especially when he realizes he has feelings for Pepper! :)<strong>


	9. Head In The Clouds

** Shout out to titemeli13: I've got plans to do that! You read my mind!**

* * *

><p>"You're up early," Maria said, teasing her son as she saw him make his way downstairs.<p>

"I couldn't sleep," Tony mumbled, opening the refrigerator.

"There's donuts."

"Where," he asked, turning around.

Maria answered by pointing to a box inches away from her. "If I knew you'd be up, I would have gotten the ones you liked."

He smiled. "Doesn't matter."

He went to the cupboard and grabbed himself a glass to fill it with milk. Once he finished, he walked over and took a seat across his mother, bringing the donut box to him.

"Not that I'm complaining, but shouldn't you be at work?"

Maria could sense the resentment in his voice. And normally she wouldn't put up with that kind of tone, but what could she really do? He was right. She worked too hard. Howard worked too much. They practically ignored their son.

"Your dad's in New York for the week so I thought I'd work from home. Maybe you could run Stark Industries on the days you're free. I heard you're doing quite well," his mother praised.

"Who said," Tony asked, the compliment intriguing him.

"Several people. There's your dad's secretary, Joan. A few of the board members think so, too, even though they wish you didn't belittle their work."

"Their concepts were pointless," he reasoned. "I was saving them from embarrassment."

"It doesn't matter. You need to watch you say, Tony. They'll still be there when your father retires. If you don't show them respect now, what makes you think they'll respect you once you're CEO?"

"Alright," he muttered, taking a bite of his maple bar. He got her message: don't be a smart ass.

Nonetheless, Maria gave him a way out. "Obadiah is more than willing to take over if you don't want to." More than anything, she wanted Tony to live a normal teenage life. Running Stark Industries wasn't part of that.

"Just don't let him near me." He wanted to prove to himself and Howard that he was responsible, and to do that, he had to get the Executive Officer out of the way.

"Consider it done." She took a sip of her coffee before continuing. "Your dad thinks you're doing a good job."

"That's because I haven't screwed anything up," Tony said, rationalizing her statement. _Like he'd ever think I was good at anything._

"He does care about you. Even if you don't think so."

"Yeah, well, good for him. But until he actually tells me himself, it's never gonna mean anything to me." He hated having this conversation. He learned long ago to not expect anything from his father. "I'm gonna try and sleep again." He didn't want to be downstairs anymore.

"Upstairs," Maria asked, going into the kitchen and taking out a plate.

"Yeah. My room is upstairs," Tony replied, confused.

"Well, in that case, before you go, I want you to bring something up," she told him, handing her son the plate, which now had a donut in it.

"Uh," he muttered, taking it.

"It's for your friend," Maria said, a disapproving look on her face.

"What are you talking about?" He was legitimately lost. He wasn't even trying to act stupid.

Maria sighed. _Unbelievable. _Her son had one of the highest IQ's on the planet and couldn't put a simple thing together. "I know there's a girl in your room, Tony." His eyes bulged. "I don't care what you do outside the house, but you don't bring them upstairs."

"Nothing happened." He should had said that less defensively. Now he looked and sounded guilty.

"I can't believe I actually bought the 'lab report' act," Maria said, using air quotes for the appropriate words.

"Nothing happened," he repeated, his tone elevated.

"Don't raise your voice at me."

Tony sighed. "Nothing happened." He was calm this time and was looking her in the eyes.

Maria stared at her son, waiting for an explanation. Even though she wasn't a hands on parent, she did still make it a point to keep her eyes on him.

"The PCH was closed last night and Rhodey's stuff was in the other room so I let her sleep in my bed. I slept on the couch."

She knew he was telling the truth, but he still violated her rules. "Keep your door open once you're up there." Her voice left no room for negotiation.

"Okay." He put the donut in his mouth and left to go upstairs.

"That was for Pepper!"

"She can have the leftover ones in the box," he yelled back. Besides, he was hungry. If she was awake by the time he got upstairs, he'd take her out for lunch.

* * *

><p>The place was crowded and Tony was starting to wonder if coming here was worth it. He had decided to forgo reservations, and judging from the look on her face, she was as shock as he was at the amount of people.<p>

"Maybe this was a bad idea."

By the time he had gotten up to his room, she was dressed and ready to leave. It took a lot of convincing on his part to get her to agree to this. She wasn't going to back out now.

"Pep, quit worrying." She expressed concerns about being photographed with him, but he couldn't understand the reasoning behind it. He asked why, but Pepper wouldn't tell him. They weren't on a date or anything, so what was there to be worried about?

Pepper watched as he went up to talk to the hostess. She hadn't wanted to go to a place like this. Not this upscale. If she were photographed with him, it'd be all over the news...which meant Robert. He had called around eleven and asked where she was. She told him about the rainstorm and how Malibu lost power at six. She told him about sleeping at Tony's, but omitted the fact that she had slept in his room, in his bed. Telling him wasn't a problem. He wouldn't think much of it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be upset. She was pretty sure it'd lead to a fight. Omitting the detail was the best for the both of them.

"I got us a seat," Tony said, breaking her train of thought.

He shoved his hands in his pockets as they followed the hostess in silence.

Last night was still fresh in his mind. He thought over his dilemma in the shower and decided to leave everything be for now. If he did like Pepper, and not in the friend way, he wasn't ready for it. Acting on his feelings meant another thing: relationships. Relationships scared him. It meant trusting someone and giving her the opportunity to break through the barricade he'd built around his heart.

"I don't know what to get," she told him. They had been seated and were now going through the menu...or at least she was.

"Try the Smokehouse Bacon Alfredo Pasta. That's what I'm ordering."

Pepper shook her head in disagreement. "Sounds fattening."

Tony raised his brow. "Seriously?" He didn't realize she was one of those girls who watched their weight.

She glanced his way. "Seriously."

"Then what do you want?" This was why he didn't take girls on dates. They were picky with everything.

"For you to not stare at me while I try to decide what I'm gonna order," she said, feeling his eyes still on her.

"Fine," he said. He looked out into the ocean instead. The tides were high. Maybe he'd go out later today. He hadn't been surfing in forever.

"Tony!" Hearing her voice, he turned his attention back to Pepper. That was when he noticed a waitress smiling at him.

"Right. I'll take the Smokehouse Pasta."

"Salad or baked potato?"

"Both." They both sounded great. That and the fact that he was hungry.

"How long did I space out," he asked once the waitress left.

Pepper softly laughed and shrugged.

"Gee, thanks for helping me out."

She looked behind her. "What were you even looking at?"

"Just surfers falling on their asses."

"Isn't it hard to surf when it's this windy?"

"It wouldn't matter if they were any good. Do you have plans after this?"

"Not really. I just have to go over the lab material because we have the-"

"Pepper, seriously, I don't want to hear about that."

"Fine," she said, leaning back in her chair. What could she tell him? "What do you want to know?"

Tony rolled his eyes. She was incredibly stubborn at times. He just wanted to get to know her and she was making things difficult. "Anything. What do you like to do for fun?"

She took it from there. Before they knew it, a conversation had finally started. "So we're thinking about seeing the new Spiderman movie."

"I thought you didn't believe in superheroes."

"I don't. But that doesn't mean they don't exist in an alternative universe," Pepper replied, thanking the waitress as she placed the lobster ravioli dish in front of her. "Are you that hungry," she asked, seeing him eye her food.

"You have no idea," he replied, smiling when he saw his own food arriving.

As soon as the waitress left, he attacked his salad.

"You might want to slow down," Pepper cautioned.

He mumbled through a mouth full of lettuce. "Just eat your food."

And she did. The both of them ate in silence for a couple minutes before Tony decided to speak up. "Your hair's the same color as your food." She looked down at her raviolis and tried to follow his logic. "The filling."

"Right," Pepper agreed, silently hitting herself upside the head. Why didn't she see that? That thought was momentarily replaced by the sight in front of her. Tony had just shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth.

He acknowledged her stare. "It's so good," he mumbled.

"Do you have any manners?"

Tony swallowed his food. "Why? Am I embarrassing you?"

"You don't see me shoving lobster meat down my throat."

"Lobster isn't meat," he corrected. "It's seafood."

"They're both animals."

"Yeah, but that doesn't solve anything. Meat consists of warmblooded animals. Lobsters aren't."

"Just be quiet," she said. If Tony was going to be a smart ass, he could at least act coy about it.

Silence fell over them as they continued eating. He'd look at her occasionally, probably wanting to say something but afraid to knowing she was upset at him. He looked like a puppy at the doorstep waiting to be let in. She felt guilty. After all, she ruined lunch.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," she smiled apologetically.

Tony shrugged and shot her a lopsided smile. "Don't be." He ate his last bite of pasta and frowned.

"What?"

"I'm still hungry."

"What?" She couldn't believe it.

"Yeah. You?" The ice cream that had just passed by seemed good.

"I didn't even finish this," Pepper said as he flagged their waitress. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yep."

The waitress smiled as she approached them. "What can I help you with, Mr. Stark?"

"What's for dessert?"

"Oh, that's already been taken care of," she replied with a smile. "Compliments of the chef. Two strawberry shortcakes."

"Oh, I can't have that," Pepper spoke up.

"Why not," Tony asked.

"I'm allergic to strawberries."

"Well, we have ice cream. We're also featuring a molten lava cake."

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass."

"No problem," the waitress said, moving to the side as someone brought in the dessert.

Tony grabbed his fork and speared into a strawberry. "How bad is it?"

"My allergy?" He nodded. "Bad. My airway will constrict once it's in my mouth."

"So you have to carry an Epipen around?"

"Most of the time."

"That sucks," said Tony, taking another bite. He actually felt bad for her. At least, for a little bit. "You have no idea what you're missing out on."

"Do you need a couple minutes alone with it," Pepper asked, referring to the moan that escaped his lips.

"You should try it."

She sighed. "Really? Have you seriously forgotten what we just talked about?"

"Don't worry. I'm pretty good at the mouth-to-mouth thing," Tony said, waggling his brows.

"I'll pass," she replied, ignoring his inappropriate comment.

"At least try the whipped cream. It's no where near the strawberries."

"I'd rather not."

"Pepper, it's on a separate part of the dish," he said, pulling his chair around the table so he could sit next to her. "And if you tell me you can't because you're watching your weight, I'll flip out."

She let him take the fork out of her hand. "Tony," she warned.

"Pepper, really. You'll be fine."

"Alright," she snapped, grabbing the fork which now had cream on it.

"Awesome," he said, a smug smile on his face as he watched her cautiously take a tiny bite. "Good, right," he asked, a expectant look on his face.

"It's not as sweet as I thought it'd be," Pepper replied. She did not want to stroke his ego.

He smiled, this time more smug. "You totally like it. I'll tell them to make another one, but with different berries."

Overall, she had a good time. The blueberry shortcake was delicious and she absolutely regretted the fact that she told Tony it was.

He kept his eyes on the road the entire drive, but that didn't mean he couldn't see what Pepper was doing. She was on her phone, and occasionally, she'd let out a smile before her fingers flew across the keyboard. It was guy. But who? His mind went back to the night when he'd driven her home. It couldn't be him, _unless she gave him another shot_. And if she did, he had to admit, it hurt. He didn't need some guy taking her before he had his chance.


	10. With A Broken Smile

"So what are you gonna do about Robert?"

It was a three day weekend and her best friend had decided to visit her. They were at the mall and had been for the last couple hours.

"I don't know." Pepper sighed. "He's dead set on going and I can't do anything about it."

"I think you should dump him. The guy can't even stand up to his own father."

"I'm not breaking up with him. You can stop trying."

"Pepper, come on. He's always going to put his career ahead of you. You deserve better than that," Morgan said, both of them now walking to an empty booth at Starbucks. They had decided to take a break from shopping.

"It's only seven more years," Pepper reasoned.

"That's what I'm talking about! We'll be 23. Why wait? You could have a new boyfriend."

She couldn't help but laugh at Morgan's logic. "I'm not you. I don't go through guys like I go through lip gloss."

Morgan, of course, wasn't offended. "I can't help it if guys want me."

Pepper shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. "Well, that explains why you were taking so long to order." She had stood off to the side after paying for her drink and she couldn't believe how long Morgan was taking. It wasn't the first time this happened. "I thought you forgot about me." She couldn't blame Morgan though. The blonde standing in front of the cash register was incredibly good looking.

"He's hot, right? I think I'll call him."

She opened her mouth in disbelief when Morgan showed her the seven digit number written on her drink. "And what? You're only here another night."

"One night's all I need," Morgan replied, a grin on her face.

Pepper contorted her face in disgust. "Just don't wake me in the middle of the night to talk about it. You give too much detail as is."

"What are best friends for if we don't share that kind of stuff? And since you're holding out on Robert, I thought you'd want to live vicariously through me."

"How you think that helps me, I'll never understand."

"I still don't see why you won't just sleep with the guy," Morgan said.

"What do you mean?"

"Seriously?" Pepper nodded, causing her to sigh. "I'm a hundred percent certain he'll drop out of his internship if you did."

"Where'd you hear that?"

Morgan shrugged. "Common sense."

"I don't think so," she argued. Robert wasn't like that and she wouldn't do that.

"Just think about it. There's a reason why men will do just about anything after they're laid."

"Well, yeah, I know, but this is his career. It's important to him. I won't mess it up."

"Don't think about it like that. Think about it as you helping Robert see what he can't himself."

"Morgan, I'm not sleeping with Robert just so I'll get my way."

"I'm beginning to wonder if it'll ever happen," she told her with a raised brow. Pepper nearly choked on her drink. "People sleep with each other by the third date and you guys have been together for two years. I know Robert wants to. What's holding you back?"

"Well, I had planned to. Do you remember that time he flew over?"

"How could I forget? You screamed at me for an hour. I can't believe he tattled on me. What a dick."

"And he speaks so highly of you."

"I was just watching out for you. He's in college, Pepper. Brandon says he goes to all these frat parties and you know how those girls are. I had to remind him of the girlfriend he has at home and that if he breaks your heart, I'll fucking kill him."

"You must have scared him." Then she transitioned back to the topic. "Anyways, we were out on a date and I had this plan where we'd have dinner, then take a walk on the boardwalk. My parents were out of town and Peter was out so I had the house to myself. If he initiated something once we got back, I was willing to go through with it. I trust him and it feels like the right time, you know? But then he told me he was going to Africa and I just lost it. I forgot about everything I had planned, but when Tony was driving-"

"Okay," Morgan said, interrupting. "Tony?"

"Yeah. He gave me a ride home. Robert had the keys to the car and Peter wouldn't pick up."

"We're talking about Tony Stark, right? The same guy whose room you slept in?" Pepper nodded, skeptical of what her friend would say next. "Wow, you two are just randomly finding ways to be together."

An unamused look crossed her face. "You did not just say that."

"Someone has to," Morgan replied, shrugging.

"Okay, like I said before, having a crush on him isn't the same thing as liking him."

"Right," she said, not believing her. Something was definitely going on. "So what happened?"

"I realized I overreacted, so I had an apology thought out when he got back. He was really sweet about it and said I was right and understood why I had gotten so upset. We went upstairs and started making out, but before anything happened, we heard the car door slam outside."

"Your parents?"

"Yeah. It was chaotic. We were scrambling to find our clothes. The only thing that saved us were the living room lights."

"Tell me you got away with it."

"Well, yeah. I'd be forbidden to leave the house if I hadn't."

"Maybe next time," Morgan suggested.

The comment made her cheeks blush and the thought of it gave her butterflies in her stomach. "Maybe."

"So what about Tony? You have to know on some level the guy wants to get in your pants."

"I know. He's been very vocal about it."

"And Robert doesn't know any of this?"

"No. I just tell him he's annoying me or being widely inappropriate. But that's how he is. Everyone knows that. I don't want Robert to make a big deal about it."

"It is a big deal! If he knew anything about you spending the night in Tony's room, he'd flip."

"I didn't lie to him. I told him I stayed the night there," Pepper defended.

"It isn't all truth, either."

"Oh, so suddenly you're on his side?"

"What? No! Tony Stark trumps Robert Sterling. Hands down."

"It's nice to know where your loyalties lie."

Morgan shrugged. "Tony's hotter than Robert."

"Sure," Pepper humored. "You want to finish what's left of the mall? It closes in three hours."

* * *

><p>She sighed. "Just chose one already."<p>

"I think white is better since it's more girly, but don't you think black looks better on it," Morgan asked as she alternated between each grad outfit on the bear.

"Maybe you should get both of them and let her decide."

"Pepper, be serious."

"I am! And I like black," she decided, taking a seat in one of the small chairs near them.

They had been in this store longer than she ever wanted to, and if Morgan didn't make a decision soon, she was going to leave without her.

"Agreed. Now I need to get the bear made."

"I'll wait for you here," Pepper said, not getting up. She was tired and all she wanted to do was go back home and take a nap.

"Great. Make the birth certificate while you're at it!"

Pepper turned to face the computer screen and did so. She filled out what she could and left the rest for Morgan. Groaning, she got up and looked around.

Turning the corner, she came across a girl, who didn't look more than five, trying her best to grab hold of a dress.

"Do you need help," Pepper asked, walking up to her.

She liked kids and wanted them someday, but she never had any experience with them. None of her family members had children and she was the youngest of all her cousins.

"Here." She smiled at the girl as she handed her the dress.

The girl was happy. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Pepper said, kneeling down. "Did you find shoes for her yet," she asked, taking a pair of pink ballet flats from a hanger.

"How about this one," she asked when the girl shook her head. "It matches the dress."

"It's pretty!"

Pepper handed the girl the pair of flats and looked around. There were no parents around. "You should show your mommy," she said, hoping this little girl wasn't lost.

"I don't have one," she sadly replied, looking at the ground.

"Oh, alright." Now she was worried. "Then who did you come here with?"

"Tony," the girl suddenly yelled, taking off faster than she thought a five year old could. _Tony?_

"What'd I tell you about running off like that?"

Pepper froze at the familiar voice._ Great._ Maybe she could walk away before he even noticed.

"Pepper?" _Too late._

Smiling, she turned around. "Hi, Tony."

"What are you doing here," he asked, picking the little girl up.

"What are you doing with a child?"

"Hey," he said accusingly. "I asked first."

"My friend's getting a bear for her sister's middle school graduation."

"Uh huh, sure," he teased. "I won't tell anybody. Your secret's safe."

"And yours, too," Pepper replied, gesturing to the girl in his arms.

"She's cute, isn't she?"

"All the more reason to keep an eye on her," she said, walking towards them.

"I knew where she was," Tony said with a matter-of-fact tone.

As soon as they got to the mall, Whitney asked if she could get a new stuffed animal and he said yes, and before he knew it, the girl had ran off. He had no idea why he hadn't checked Build-A-Bear first and not Toys-R-Us.

"Want to say hi to Pepper," he asked, looking at Whitney.

"Hi," said the girl, doing as told before going back to her bear.

"So where is she..." Pepper trailed off, laughing as Tony tried to dodge the little girl's hand from messing up his hair.

"Hey, stop it," Tony said, putting her down. This only made Whitney start giggling. "How would you like it if I messed up your hair," he asked, then doing so.

"Stop it," the girl yelled, laughing, shooing away his hands.

"Not fun, is it?" Pepper stifled a laugh. The entire situation was amusing.

"And you're in big trouble for running away," he said, kneeling down and taking her stuffed bear so he could get her full attention.

"Why," the girl asked. She immediately turned on the waterworks.

"You know why," Tony reprimanded.

Whitney averted her gaze and glanced down. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's okay. Just don't do it again." He smiled and gave her back the stuffed bear. Whitney nodded and left to go find something else after promising to not leave the store.

"So where did you get her," Pepper asked as Tony made his way over to her.

"A shelter in LA. She's been wanting a stuffed animal and I thought I'd get her one."

"She has a crush on you."

He smirked. "I'd be insulted if she didn't."

Pepper scoffed. "Your head's gonna explode one day from all that ego."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" He turned his head to look at her for one second. "That way I'd stop annoying your life."

"I never said you were annoying."

"You tell me every time I walk into the room."

"When have I ever said you were annoying?"

"A lot of times. During the first day of school."

"That's only once."

"But you still said-"

"Hey, I finished. Did you print it out," Morgan asked, walking up to Pepper and not noticing her company since she was busy replying a text message.

"Not yet." _This is not going to go well._

"Make it up. She won't care." That was when she looked up and saw Tony standing next to Pepper. A smile crossed her face and she ignored the glaring daggers Pepper was sending her way. "Aren't you gonna introduce us," she asked, looking at Pepper, who falsely smiled in return.

"Sure. Morgan, this is Tony. Tony, this is Morgan."

"Hi," Tony said, glancing at her. Pepper's friend was a brunette. She had light blue eyes and an amazing body. This girl was definitely his type. "Aren't you on the volleyball team?"

Morgan giggled. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually from Maryland."

Tony furrowed his brows. He could have sworn he'd seen her somewhere before. But, then again, all the volleyball girls looked alike. "Really?"

"Really. I'm visiting Pepper."

"What are you doing after this?"

"Oh no," Pepper stepped in.

Both Tony and Morgan turn to look at her, waiting for her to continue. He was confused. She wasn't.

"You are not going to sleep with my best friend."

Morgan looked over at Tony and grinned. "Someone's jealous."

"I'm not," Pepper denied.

"I might have a date tonight, but if you want, I'd be happy to cancel my plans."

Tony smiled. "Great. I'm having a party tonight." Morgan was hot, but he still preferred Pepper. "Bring Pepper, too."

"What do you think," Morgan asked, finally regarding her friend.

"What do you think," Pepper shot back. She didn't know who to be mad at: her best friend purposely baiting her or Tony putting the moves on her best friend.

"Sorry," Morgan said, looking apologetically at Tony. "Next time."

"You and Pepper have plans?"

"We're gonna do a girls night."

"I'll come to the next one," Pepper spoke up.

Tony looked at her and sighed. "That's what you always say and you never do."

"I promise."

He was still skeptical. Pepper wasn't a party girl and would never show up unless her friends made her. "Really?"

"I promise," she repeated. Then she turned to Morgan. "We still need to finish that thing."

Morgan nodded and followed Pepper's lead, but stopped once she was standing in front of Tony. "Pepper's in a mood if you didn't notice."

"Isn't she always like that?" Pepper definitely earned the connotations that came with being a red-head.

"Only when she has boyfriend problems." The moment she said it was the instant she regretted it. "I got to go." It just slipped.

Tony leaned against the counter and sighed. _Boyfriend? _Did he hear Morgan right? Of course she had a boyfriend. It wasn't shocking. It just wasn't real until now. _You're such an idiot._

He saw Pepper wave at him as she walked out the store and he faked a smile. He was being hard on himself, but he also knew he was right. Even if he had a chance, would they work? They were too different. She was mature. He wasn't. _Just stick to girls like Morgan. _And that was exactly what he was going to do. Tonight he was going to get wasted and forget about her and that boyfriend.

* * *

><p><strong>So Tony's bummed out and the drama officially begins! Yes or no, should Pepper and Robert have sex? :D<strong>


	11. When The Feeling Sinks In

**Almost all of you don't want it to happen...I knew it! You'll all know her decision soon enough :)**

**And what about Pepper's birthday? Do you think he should forget it? **

* * *

><p>Pepper wasn't sure why he was acting so weird. She had asked Morgan if she said something, but was told no. She didn't know what was going on, but she had chosen today to confront him about it.<p>

She walked into class and sat down. Like any other day this past week, he ignored her presence and continued talking to the girl behind him. She didn't mind, at all, but it was starting to irritate her. He was doing it on purpose.

She sighed when she saw the girl grab his arm, clearly using it was a way to get closer to Tony. It was disgusting. _Wait. Why do I even care this girl is flirting with him?_ Could she be the tiniest bit jealous?

In that moment, he turned around. "Hey, Pep."

"Hi." He hadn't been this cheerful around her since they saw each other at the mall. "You're in a good mood."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Cassidy said you were trying to get my attention?"

"Oh, no," she lied. "I just did it out of tiredness."

"Alright. Have you guys met," Tony asked, leaning back so the two girls could see each other. "That's Cassidy."

Pepper smiled and gave Cassidy a wave. She was the stereotyped popular girl: pretty, on a sports team, blonde hair, blue eyes.

"Hi. You're Pepper, right?"

"Yeah," she responded, stunned she knew her name.

"It's cool."

"Thanks."

And that was the end of their conversation.

"So are we on for Saturday," she heard Cassidy ask.

"Uh, yeah. I'll let you know."

"Done flirting," Pepper asked as he turned to look at her.

"Please," Tony said, dismissing her comment. "The only one flirting was her."

He wanted to keep the conversation with Pepper as minimal as possible. He was still sour about what happened at the mall. Ever since, he had done his best to ignore her. And if that meant doing work, so be it.

"So why are you in a good mood?"

He shrugged. It wasn't like he could tell her why he was being the way he was to her, so he lied. "Just woke up that way," he simply put.

"Really," Pepper asked. It wasn't believable, the way he said it.

"Yeah," Tony muttered, looking down at his work.

"So I'm just supposed to pretend you haven't been giving me the cold shoulder the past week?" His head jerked up. He didn't expect Pepper to be so blunt about it.

She hadn't noticed anything at first, but after two days, it was clear Tony was purposely avoiding her. It had been a week since then. His inappropriate comments stopped, his annoying behavior as well...at first she thought he was in some kind of funk, but then she saw that he was his regular self to everyone else.

"What are you talking about," he asked, feigning ignorance.

He was upset, and it was clearly her fault, so she didn't understand why he wouldn't talk to her about it. Weren't they friends?

"This! You're actually doing work to avoid me."

"Well, you complain I'm never prepared, so I thought I'd-"

"Cut the crap," Pepper interrupted. "What did I do?" She wasn't above demanding for an answer.

"What are you? My girlfriend," Tony shot back, staring pointedly at her.

"You don't have to be rude," she told him, not liking his tone.

"Right. Because the way you asked me that question wasn't."

She sighed. Tony was right. "Okay, sorry. Is this about Morgan?" Not getting a response, she continued. "When I stepped in and stopped her from going to your party?" It seemed like the only legitimate thing he could be upset about.

Honestly, he had forgotten about Morgan. He only kept quiet because he realized something. Pepper had taken his ignoring her out of context. In retrospect, he should have found a better way to deal with the feelings he had for her instead of ignoring her.

"Because if you like her that much, I'll give you her number," she went on. She hated herself for even considering it. Tony with her best friend made her uneasy. She didn't know why, it just rubbed her the wrong way. She guessed she didn't want to see Morgan hurt. Fun aside, her friend still believed in love. And Tony, he didn't. Or, at least, he preferred fun over it.

"It's not that."

"But you haven't treated me the same since," Pepper said.

"I know," he answered.

"So it's kinda hard to believe it has nothing to do with me."

"It's just that my day got worse after you left and seeing you reminds me of it." Hopefully his reply came across as him ignoring her having nothing to do with her.

"Alright," she surrendered, but still skeptical. She decided to not push her luck.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"Me too," she replied.

"I like it." Then he smiled. "It fits you."

"How," Pepper questioned.

"You have red hair. Red hair, fiery personality," he equated.

"Wow, I don't know if that was an insult or a compliment."

He smiled. "Definitely compliment."

A silence filled them after that and Tony was grateful Mr. Jacobsen spoke up. He first detailed the parameters of the lab experiment and then told the class to get started.

"Do you want to be the recorder?"

"Unless you want to see me sweat and desperately trying to catch my breath."

"Sounds like sex," he thought out loud, getting up and heading to the exercise bike. He smirked when he saw her cheeks redden slightly.

"Just put these on," she said instead, handing him the ECG pads.

"Why can't you do it," he asked, not bothering to take them.

"I have better things to do," Pepper simply said, setting the pads on the table. She wasn't going to indulge his antics.

"Your loss." He lifted his shirt and stuck them on each side of his chest.

"Don't forget these."

Tony glanced up and saw her holding the electrode clips. He took them and could feel her staring as he connected the clips to the pads. "Like what you see," he asked, looking up.

"Oh, yeah. I can't stop staring," Pepper humored. As much as she hated to say it, she was glad he was back, but she couldn't help but wonder what caused the sudden change.

Tony smirked. "I get that a lot."

"I have no doubt," she replied, taking the other ends of the clips and attaching them to the proper machine.

It surprised him that Pepper bought his excuse. But it wasn't as if he lied to her, he did tell her the truth. His day did get worse after she left and every time he saw her, it did remind him of it. He just chose to blur the lines a bit.

Everything was simple before her. If he saw an attractive girl, he'd go up to her and they'd take it from there. He didn't even care if they had a boyfriend. If she didn't care enough to not cheat, their relationship wasn't going to last anyways. He was certain Pepper cared much about hers.

While Mr. Jacobsen was going over the lab, he had busied himself by staring at her and had figured some things out.

First, her boyfriend lived in Maryland. That was the only thing that made sense. Second, it was serious but troubled. He gathered it was him that made her cry the night he took her home. Third, she hadn't told said boyfriend about him. No boyfriend, in his mind, would stand on the sideline and let her talk to him if he knew anything about the flirting. And, lastly, she liked the flirting on some level. She hadn't told him to stop, which was the best part.

She was driving him crazy. He had no idea what to do. He tried to forget her with girls, but in the end, after it was done, his mind came back to her. His heart was telling him to go after her, but his brain was telling him to not risk it. And what if his heart won the battle? What was he supposed to tell her? _I really like you, so you should dump whoever you're dating for me? _It seemed pathetic.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong," Pepper asked, taking him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, confused, as he tried to snap back to reality. "I just feel like it does have something to do with me," she explained.

"It doesn't," he said, glancing over at the computer. His cardiac rhythm was on display and he wondered if his heart rate spiked during his minute of thinking.

"But you'd tell me if it were, right?"

"You care about what I think of you?" Somehow knowing that made him feel better inside.

"Well, we're friends, aren't we? Friends tell each other stuff."

"I think you're actually the first friend I have that's a girl," he thought, contemplating her response.

"Lucky me," Pepper humorously responded.

"You should feel lucky. It's a hard title to win," Tony told her.

She laughed slightly. "I'm glad you're back to your normal self."

Tony looked at her, raising his brow. "Are you saying you missed my annoying you?"

"I got accustomed to it," she shrugged. "Your inappropriateness, the narcissism, the arrogance..."

"Whoa, what's with the verbal attack," he interrupted, joking of course. He didn't care. He stopped caring about what people thought of him a long time ago.

"But somehow you're still bearable and it confuses me why that is."

A smile crossed his lips. "Is that your subtle way of saying you like me?"

He had a smug look on his face that she wanted to slap right off. "I never said that, but feel free to interpret it how you wish."

"Then I say you do."

They shared a laugh, and for a second, he felt like they had a moment. It made him uncomfortable, but only because it was a strange, new feeling. Growing up as a Stark, he learned early on to mask his emotions, so it surprised him how easy Pepper could cut through its surface.

"You know, you never answered my question." She watched him look up and could see cloudiness in his eyes. He was thinking about something, but what? "If I upset you, you'd tell me, right?"

Tony nodded, smiling softly. How ironic was this?

* * *

><p>"I can't believe this," Pepper said. Tony looked over at her, just when he was about to leave, and saw what she was talking about. Mr. Jacobsen had handed back their latest test and she got a 72% on it. She barely passed.<p>

"Could be worse. You could had failed."

She glared at him, not amused at his cracked joke. "What did you get?"

He hesitated, not wanting to add fuel to a burning fire. "What's important is that you passed."

"By two percent, Tony. I studied real hard for this, too," Pepper said, sighing.

"Maybe I can help you out," he said, taking her test and looking it over. "You're confusing the concepts."

"Really? Because I didn't figure that out on my own," she snapped.

"You did good on the last test."

"Only because you drew that diagram for me. Everything made sense after."

"We can go over this lab when we write the lab report," he said, deciding to help her, which seemed like a bad idea. Finding ways to be alone with her was the last thing he needed. "And I'll draw another diagram."

"I don't want to waste your time."

"You won't. Besides, I don't want you failing the class," Tony said, giving her a sincere smile.

"Tony Stark, are you saying you care about me," she asked teasingly.

He was about to reply, but saw Rhodey walking in with an amused smile. He overheard. "Interpret it how you wish," he replied, using her words from earlier.

"So I guess we're not meeting up on Saturday?"

"Why not?"

"You have plans?" Tony still seemed lost. "With Cassidy?"

"Oh, right," he said, grimacing. "Her." _Cassidy or Pepper?_ It wasn't a hard decision. "She just wants to get in my pants, Pep. Why would I choose that over you?"

"Well, I..." Pepper trailed off, not knowing how to respond. _Why wouldn't he choose her over me?_

"Chill, I was kidding," he said, smiling at her.

She sighed. "You're impossible."

"But I'm more than willing to put out if you want the same thing."

"Just go before I smack you," she said to him. Which was literally what she wanted to do the moment she heard those words come out his mouth.

"Maybe you should do that to the blush on your cheeks first," he said, pointing at them. She swatted his finger away and glared at him. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll text you," he grinned, chuckling as he left the lab room, Rhodey following behind.

"Dude, what are you doing?"

"What," Tony asked, glancing at his friend.

"She has a boyfriend."

"Relax, I'm not gonna destroy her relationship."

"Then what the hell was that back there? You never voluntarily give out help."

"I'm a caring person," he responded, mischief in his brown eyes.

"God, this is worse than I thought," Rhodey said. "It's disgusting how much you like her."

"I do not like Pepper," Tony argued, even though it was pointless.

"Sure you don't. You're just what then? Being a good friend?"

"Couldn't had said it better," he answered, the gears in his brain now working at full speed.

"Tony, whatever you're thinking, stop. It's not going to go the way you want it to."

"Nope. Too late. I already have it planned out." He was tired of feeling sorry for himself. It wasn't him. Not at all. _Screw waiting. Game on._


	12. Anywhere But Here

"Ugh," Pepper said, throwing her Cosmo magazine onto the floor. She had been reading the same line over and over, not able to concentrate on anything except her new found problem.

She had always had a bit of a crush on Tony. What girl didn't? But it seemed as though her feelings might have jumped ship during the past two months without her knowing and it was frustrating her. Something was different. She was more succumbed to his flirting, his charm that wooed over so many girls her age. Tony was being extra nice to her, it was the only thing off about him, but other than that nothing. Maybe she missed Robert and Tony was a substitute for him...which seemed ridiculous. It didn't make sense.

"What's wrong," Richard Potts asked, seeing his daughter sulk into one of the dining room chairs.

"Nothing," Pepper responded.

There was something wrong and he was going to get to the bottom of it. "What's bothering you?"

She shrugged. "I just have a lot of work to do."

"Well, Atlas High is a private school. But you know that's not what I meant."

"What do you mean," Pepper asked.

"You look like you're in a rut," he replied, taking a seat next to her. "I haven't seen you like this since you had to say goodbye to Robert."

"Robert and I are fine."

"Then it's something else," Richard concluded.

"It's just that..." Pepper trailed off, trying to find the best way to put what she was thinking into words. She sighed. "It's Tony."

"Okay," her dad cautiously said, to himself in particular. He wasn't expecting that.

"He's annoying me." It was the closest thing she could say to the truth. Her dad would flip out if he knew she liked Tony even the slightest bit.

"Isn't he helping you in class?"

"Yeah, but he always steers off topic."

"I'm sure you can handle him."

Pepper sighed. "But he doesn't listen. I'm convinced he's a kid inside. And that's not even the worst of it."

"Well, I can't say I agree. Every time I see him at Stark Industries, he's polite, hard working, does everything he's required to do. He's-"

"Whose side are you on?" She did not like her father praising him.

"Wouldn't a lot of girls want to be in your shoes?" He knew a thing or two about Tony Stark. It was girls and fast cars.

Pepper could not believe her father had said that. "Well, they can have them. He's driving me nuts."

Richard shook his head, hiding his smile. He couldn't believe how much Tony had gotten under her skin. He remembered his daughter being the same way with Robert when she first met him. Was this just another version of that? "So what does he do," he asked, throwing her a bone.

She rattled the things off the top of her list. "He's a smart ass. He's irritating. He doesn't know how-"

"Isn't that common knowledge?"

_Ugh. _Why couldn't her dad help her out? "Can't you just go up to him at the office and go all psycho dad on him?"

Richard chuckled. "Sure," he humored. "Just let me pack up my office."

"Right. Not the best idea."

"I think you tolerate him more than you realize."

She sighed again. "Dad, did you even listen to a word I said?"

"Yeah, I did. It's funny how you're not denying it."

"You're not helping."

"You'll figure it out. I have faith in you. But I gotta head into work. I've got a conference at two. I'll tell Tony you said hi if I see him."

Pepper stared pointedly at her father. "You wouldn't."

Richard shrugged and walked out the kitchen. She didn't need to know if he was kidding or not.

* * *

><p>Pepper sighed as she tried to focus on her notes. Tony was to her left, head bent into the crook of his arms atop the table, fast asleep. She told him to leave, but he wanted to stay until she got the material down for tomorrow's test. He'd been waiting for her to finish the practice test before he drifted off.<p>

The ringing of the doorbell suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts. Seeing that he hadn't woken up, she got up to answer it.

"Oh my god!" Her voice cut through the kitchen, waking Tony from his unconscious state. "What are you doing here?!"

He couldn't hear the other voice, but could tell she was happy to see whatever it was. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. _When did I fall asleep_, he asked himself.

"I thought I'd visit you. Big weekend, right," he heard a guy ask.

"You didn't have to, Robert."

_Robert? Who the fuck is that? _Suddenly, it hit him. "Oh." He quietly got up and walked over to where the kitchen met the living room.

The guy was tall, nicely toned. He looked athletic and spent too much time styling his hair.

"I got here an hour ago. Did you guys get a new car? It's awesome."

Pepper laughed softly, then shook her head. "Uh, no. We didn't. It's-"

"It's mine," Tony interrupted, making himself visible to the couple.

"You're awake," Pepper said.

"Yeah, it's kinda hard to sleep when you're shouting."

"Sorry about that," Robert spoke, taking his hand out to shake Tony's. "Nice to meet you. I'm Robert. That's a cool car."

"Yeah, I just brought it. A tree took out my last one. Pepper knows about it."

"Really," Robert asked, looking Pepper's way.

"Yep," she simply responded. "It was during that rainstorm I told you about."

"Right," he acknowledged. He knew they had become friends, but there was something about Tony's current demeanor that rubbed him the wrong way. He felt bad putting Pepper in the backseat of his life right now, and he felt worse knowing she was spending time with Tony. Time that was supposed to be his. "Are you guys done with whatever you're working on? I'm starving."

"Could we order in? I have a test tomorrow."

Tony watched their interaction. He could tell Robert didn't like him on some level, which was great. He wouldn't argue against it.

"He's tired."

"Speak for yourself. You're the one who got off a flight. The time difference must be killing you."

"I'm fine. And I can help. I'm just as smart as him."

Tony scoffed, not that he did it intentionally. It was a conditioned response to what Robert had said.

Robert looked at him. "What?"

"You really think you're smarter than me?"

_Oh no, _Pepper thought. She stepped in before things got ugly. "You're both smart."

"Pep, come on," Tony urged. "I'm smarter."

Robert was about to respond, but hearing him say 'Pep' caught him off guard. "Wait. Why does he call you that?"

"It's just a nickname," Pepper answered. _Great. _She was certain they were going to fight about that.

"Look, if he wants to help you that badly, I can go," Tony said, taking a few steps to the door. He wasn't going to argue with him. Robert wasn't worth his time. Besides, this way, he'd come off as the better person.

"Wait, could you at least explain the diagram? You dozed off before I could ask you what everything meant." Then she turned her attention to Robert. "Maybe you can take a nap or something. My parents will be back in four hours."

"Sounds great," Robert replied, leaning down and giving her a quick peck on the lips before kissing her harder.

Tony looked away in disgust. He wasn't the jealous type, but seeing the two of them together was definitely not a good feeling.

"Go," Pepper finally said, pulling away.

"Fine," Robert chuckled, leaving and making his way upstairs.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Tony said, following her into the kitchen.

"You never asked."

"That explains a lot," he told her, sitting down.

"What?"

"Why you were so impossible."

"Oh, really?" She turned to look at Tony, who shrugged. "Did it ever occur to you that I just might not be interested?"

"Please. Look at me," he pointed to himself. "I'm irresistible."

"Alright, Mr. Irresistible," she humored, but just for a second.

"How long have you guys been going out?"

"That's none of your business."

"Come on. I'm curious."

"If I tell you, can we get back to work?" He nodded. "Okay. Almost two years."

"Seriously?" He was genuinely surprised. The most he expected was a couple months.

"Yeah. So this picture you drew for me," Pepper transitioned. "What do the dashes mean?"

"Anterior vena cava."

"Alright. What about the vertical lines?"

"The posterior ones," he answered, his mind somewhere else. _Two years? Really? _He didn't even notice when Robert came into the room.

"That actually makes sense," Robert said, looking over Pepper's shoulder.

"Well, it doesn't to me, so could one of you explain it?"

Of course Tony wanted to explain it since it was his drawing, but he also wanted to know what Robert was made of. "Go ahead."

Robert did, and in doing so, exaggerated it. _I could had summarized it five minutes ago, _Tony thought to himself. But, he had to admit, the guy knew his stuff.

"I'm gonna watch TV," Robert said an hour later.

Tony looked up, relieved.

Pepper smiled. "Okay. Tell me if anything good's on. I need a break, too."

"Will do." Robert smiled, walking out of sight. He decided to come early so they could spend extra time together, but clearly, that wasn't going to happen.

"Thanks for explaining it to me after Robert did. I couldn't understand a word he said."

"Seriously, at one point, I got confused."

Pepper laughed. "You could have stepped in."

"He thinks he's as smart as me so..."

"You know he isn't."

"So did you, but I didn't hear you telling him."

"I wasn't gonna put myself in between the battle of egos."

"So you lied instead."

"I didn't."

"Admit it, I'm smarter."

"So you can go in there and brag about it? I don't think so."

"Fine. Whisper it. It'll be our secret," Tony said, leaning closer to her.

"You're in my personal space again," Pepper told him, trying to push him away.

"Your point?" He held his stance, refusing to budge.

"It makes me uncomfortable!"

"Because your boyfriend's here? I'd be uncomfortable too if I were him."

"Wow, I didn't know you could be this self absorbed."

"It's true. He hates me."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Pepper, trust me. It's a guy thing. He wants to punch me in the face."

"Well, if you stay in this position, he just might." She tried once again to shove him aside.

He laughed when she failed again. "I'll deck him if he does."

Then she gave up. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"Come on, even you have to admit, he's been trying to get me out of here."

Pepper sighed. He had a point. But why bring it up? "What's your point," she asked._  
><em>

"Nothing. It's just that-" He cut himself off, seeing Robert coming in.

Pepper quickly got up and went over to him. "Nothing?"

"Nah. Game of Thrones is almost ending."

"Oh, don't tell me what happened. I'm only halfway through the season."

Robert chuckled. "I won't."

"I think I'm gonna go home," Tony spoke, getting out of his seat. "I'm really tired." He didn't want to be here if he was going to be subject to their relationship. The last hour was enough.

"Okay," Pepper responded.

"Later," he told Robert in passing.

"Drive safe," she told him as they got to the front door.

"I will," Tony said, leaning against the frame. "And don't study too hard."

"I won't. I'm thinking about calling it a night."

"Then don't do things I wouldn't," he told her, making his way out the door. That obviously meant more than he let on.

Pepper laughed slightly and closed the door behind him. "So what did you..." She trailed off, noticing Robert behind her with a less than amused look on his face.

"We need to talk about that guy."


	13. Make Your Best Mistakes

"Oh God," Pepper said, shooting up in bed. "It's just a dream," she told herself, calming her breathing.

Why was she dreaming about Tony...him being her boyfriend no less?

Memories from the previous night came to mind. Robert surprising her. Tony irritating her. Her fight with Robert - not that it was one, per se. He was jealous and didn't like the way Tony was acting around her. She understood and assured him nothing was going on. It was just Tony being Tony. At least that's what she said. In retrospect, last night was odd. Weird. There was something about it that didn't add up. Maybe it was because of the way Robert treated him, but she felt as if Tony had wanted to get caught in a compromising situation with her.

"What's wrong," Robert asked, stirring.

"Nothing," she replied, letting him wrap his arm around her waist. "I had a bad dream."

"Want to talk about it," he offered, mumbling into her neck.

"No, I'm fine."

"You sure? Kind of sounded pretty bad."

"Don't worry about it," she told him, but thought of a story just in case he kept asking.

"Alright then."

"What are you doing," Pepper mumbled seconds later as she felt Robert kiss his way up her neck. She laughed softly when he kissed behind her ear. "We cannot do this," she said in a hushed tone.

"Why not," Robert asked, watching as she turned to face him.

"Why not? My parents are sleeping. In the room next door. It's weird doing things like that."

"Doing things like what," he asked, slipping his hand underneath her shirt.

"Like that," Pepper hissed, removing his hand. She smiled at him when he positioned himself above her. "And to think my parents trust you."

He chuckled. "Be honest. You want to kiss me."

"Well, duh. But it's not a matter of wanting to," she said, putting her hands on his chest to stop him from leaning down further.

"Of course it's not," he laughed, kissing her. He grinned when he felt Pepper kiss back.

She lost herself in the moment until she felt Robert pulling down her shorts. _Maybe he'll let go,_ she thought. _Nope. _If anything, he had tugged at them more.

"Wait," she said, dodging his kiss and putting herself in a position that would make him sit up.

"What," Robert asked.

"What are you doing?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I thought..."

Pepper raised her brow. "You thought what?"

"I thought it was what you wanted." He regretted the words the second he finished. He didn't mean for it to come off like that.

"What I wanted?"

"Okay," Robert said, holding his hands up and scooting back. "I didn't mean it that way. It's just that...okay, fine," he surrendered. "It's what I wanted. But did you not want it, too? I mean, you let me sleep in your bed. What was I supposed to think?"

She sighed, anger building inside.

"Oh, come on. You don't have the right to get mad," he told her. "You're sending me mixed signals."

"At what point did I explicitly tell you that I wanted you to jump me?"

"Look," Robert replied, taking her hand. "That wasn't my intention. It wasn't. But I actually thought it was where we were headed."

Pepper cast down her gaze and remained silent. He was right. She thought she was ready for it, but tonight showed her she wasn't.

"And I don't want to be that guy, but, seriously, Pepper, I'm tired of waiting."

His voice felt defeated, as if he was tired of playing a losing battle. "I can't deal with this right now," she said, finding her voice. "Just get out." She got out of bed and went to open the bedroom door.

"So we're not even gonna talk about this," Robert asked, grabbing his pillow.

"We will. It's just..." She sighed. "...the middle of the night. I don't want to fight."

"Same here," Robert agreed, stopping in front of her. "Why do you think I'm canceling the trip? You deserve better than what I've been giving you. I understand that now. I love you and I guess what I pulled just then was me trying to show you that." He looked into her eyes, hoping she'd understand. "It hurts when you pull away like that. It makes me feel like you don't trust me."

"Robert, wait," Pepper whispered. She tried to run after him, but he had already started down the stairs. All this time, she'd been thinking about her own needs; not how it was affecting him. But Robert was wrong. She did trust him. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to bend the rules a little.

* * *

><p>Tony walked out of seventh period having finished their work in record time. There was still thirty minutes until school ended and an hour until football practice began, so he texted Happy and told him to meet up at the parking lot so they could grab a bite to eat since he had spent most of his lunchtime in the bedroom of a certain cheerleader he'd been wanting to get his hands on - not that he mentioned it in his text.<p>

"I'm glad you texted me. Mrs. Cortez's jokes were killing me."

"You do the same to me," Tony quipped.

"Haha, very funny," his friend humored. "Where's Rhodey? He's not coming?"

"Nope. Something about an army meeting."

"Yeah, right. He has plans with a girl from the water polo team."

"Really," Tony asked, surprised. Rhodey wasn't the 'take action' kind of guy when it came to girls. "When'd this happen?"

"At lunch. Speaking of lunch, where were you?"

He shrugged. "Had something to do."

"Don't you mean you had someone to do," Happy corrected.

Tony glanced Happy's direction. _How'd he know?_

"Yeah, you heard me. And don't even deny it, man. I know."

"How?"

"It was all Katie could talk about during P.E."

"I was good, wasn't I?"

"Gross," Happy shivered. "And yes," he mumbled.

"What the fuck is he doing here," Tony suddenly said, seeing Robert in the parking lot.

"Who's that?"

"Pepper's boyfriend," he replied, rolling his eyes. He'd rather take a bullet than refer him as her boyfriend again.

"Oh, the girl you're in love with," Happy teased.

"Okay, say that again..." Tony glanced at him. "...and I'll kick you in the nuts."

"Tony," they heard Robert say. "Do you know if Pepper's out?"

"Why don't you call her and find out? Your phone's right there," Tony said instead. He wasn't going to help him.

"I did. It's off."

"Well, I'm out, so that means she's out, too. Just call her again."

"Could I actually talk to you about something?"

Tony stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. "I have places to be."

"It's not going to take long."

Sighing, Tony made his way over to him. Happy stayed behind.

"Look," Robert began. "Pepper might not see it, but I do. Leave her alone. She's not interested."

Tony considered what he said for a moment. Then he did what he did best. "Does she know you're here speaking for her?"

"Just stay away from her. I don't want to ask again."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna have to because you don't get a say in who I can and can't see."

Robert scoffed. "You can pretend like you don't have an ulterior motive all you want. I don't care. It's just not going to go well once she finds out."

"And what's gonna happen when she finds out about this?"

"I'm looking out for her. That's the difference."

"That's gonna be hard to do. Right," Tony taunted. "Pepper said you were leaving soon."

"That's none of your business," Robert responded, taking several steps towards him. "Plus, I live in the real world. Something you wouldn't understand. I don't have the luxury of spending daddy's billions and doing nothing my entire life."

"Repeat that. I dare you," Tony told him. "See what happens." He was ready to punch the crap out of him.

"Just stay away from Pepper," Robert repeated. "Stick to girls you actually have a chance with."

"And what makes you think I don't with Pepper? I mean, she already spent the night in my bed once, sleeping with her a second time shouldn't be-" Tony was cut off with a hard punch to the face, his nose to be exact. Instinctively, he stepped back, his hand coming up to wipe the blood.

"What the hell is wrong with you," they heard someone yell.

"Tony, you alright," Happy asked, running over.

"Yeah," he shrugged off, wiping his nose again. He hadn't expected the punch to be that hard. "Go find me something to clog up the bleeding."

"God, you're bleeding." Tony looked up from the small pool of blood in his hand and saw Pepper. "Tilt your head forward and sit down."

"I'm fine."

"Tony, just do it," she told him, like he was some five year old that had been sentenced to time out. "And pinch the end of your nose."

"You don't have to be mean," he shot back, sitting down. "And when'd you become a doctor?"

"My brother had a lot of nose bleeds as a kid," Pepper replied, checking the bleeding. It didn't look like it was going to be stopping anytime soon.

"Pepper, seriously," Robert spoke, walking up to them. "He deserved it. If you heard what he said, you'd punch him, too. He's not innocent in this."

She snapped her head to look at him. "I don't want to hear it." She sighed, then turned to Tony. "You should get it checked out."

"I'm fine," Tony told her once again. "Just need to clog it."

"With what?"

"Cotton or something?" He hadn't exactly thought it out, but there was one thing he did know: he didn't want to be here. The locker room was nearby and he knew there was a first aid kit in there. "Happy's taking too long so I'm gonna go fix this by myself."

"What'd he say to you," Pepper asked once he left. She knew it wasn't good when she saw Robert fidgeting.

"Nothing," Robert simply replied. "I overreacted. Can we go?"

"Okay, first of all, I don't appreciate being lied to. And, second, if you don't want to tell me, I can just as easily bother someone who will."

"Come on," Robert yelled to her retreating figure. "Look, I'm sorry!" _Yeah, I'm in serious shit. _He'd still wait for her though, knowing he'd most likely get yelled at the moment she came back.

"Tony," Pepper hesitantly called out, standing at the entrance to the football locker room, which smelled. Badly. If it weren't for the circumstances, she would've left already.

"Yeah," he asked. Seconds later, he saw her walking in. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged as she sat next to him. "I want to make sure you're okay."

"And," Tony pressed.

Pepper sighed. "And to find out what that whole thing was about. Robert won't tell me, so I think he might've started it. But, seeing how he punched you in the face, I know you're not innocent in all this, either."

"He said something that rubbed me the wrong way and I said something back. This," he said, pointing to his nose. "Was the result of it."

"You're not telling me everything."

"And I won't," he responded, ill-mannered.

"So I'm guessing it's about me."

Tony looked away, giving her the answer she needed. He didn't know what to say. If he told her, he knew she'd find out. She wasn't dumb. She would connect the dots and realize how he felt. All she needed was a piece to the puzzle and, right now, that was what his heart was urging him to do. No more stalling.

"Which isn't surprising. Robert doesn't like you."

"Yeah, a lot of boyfriends don't," he pointed out.

"With good reason."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that," Tony agreed. Sighing, he looked at her. "Can I tell you something?"

She was skeptical to let him, but nodded.

"I knew you had a boyfriend."

His confession caught her off guard. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She couldn't respond.

"Even before the night he came over."

"Yeah, I got that," she muttered.

"Well, you could've said something," he mumbled, so low that Pepper couldn't had heard.

"When?"

"When what," he asked, taking the ice pack off his nose.

"When did you find out," Pepper rephrased, looking him straight in the eyes. She didn't know what else to feel but anger. If he knew about Robert, why pretend he didn't? And, more importantly, why didn't he stop hitting on her the minute he found out? He had to know he had no chance with her.

He shrugged. "I don't know. A couple weeks ago? When we bumped into each other at the mall."

She remembered that day. Morgan visited her. They had a good time. Then she remembered the day after. Tony had been, for lack of a better word, a dick to her. Slowly, things sunk in. _  
><em>

Tony looked down, picking the towel holding his ice pack. His insecurities were rising with each passing second. All his cards were on the table and she was taking her sweet time responding.

Pepper had all the pieces to the puzzle now, all she had to do was connect them. _Okay, but that doesn't explain why he acted that way. _And what about Cassidy? His comment about choosing to spend time with her instead of a cheerleader. He brushed it off as a joke, but what if it wasn't? _It couldn't be_, she finally realized._  
><em>

She looked at him and gulped. "Can I ask you something?" She was already scared for his response. "And could you give me an honest answer?"

"What," he asked, meeting her gaze. Judging from the look on her face, Pepper had figured it out...but he wasn't going to jump to conclusions. At least, not yet.

"Do you..." She trailed off. Her heart was racing and she chickened out asking the last minute. Maybe she could still get out of this if she quickly got up and left. "Never mind. I'm gonna go," she said, getting up. "Forget it. It was stupid anyways." Besides, Tony didn't like girls. Not the way she was thinking.

"Pepper, wait." She had only walked a couple steps when he said that. "What were you gonna say just then? I want to know," Tony said, making his way toward her. She didn't know it, but he was just as scared as she was. He just hid it better.

"Nothing."

"Really? Because you didn't actually say anything to me five minutes before that," he pointed out.

She went with a lie. "I was just trying to figure out what you two were arguing about."

That was bull and he knew it.

"Okay, how about this," Tony said instead. "You tell me what you were really thinking and I'll tell you what happened."

"How will I know it's the truth?"

"Easy. You don't lie to me, I don't lie to you."

"Fine. But you first."

"Okay," Tony said, unconsciously shoving his hands into his pockets. "I was walking to my car when he came up and told me I should stay away from you. And that's fine, you know? I don't care. But then he started talking about me like he knew my life or something with this patronizing tone and I decided to hit back by saying something I knew would set him off, which is why he punched me in the face." That summed it up without giving much detail. "Your turn."

"You're not telling me the whole thing," Pepper said, calling him out on it. If she was going to tell him what she was thinking, she expected him to tell her every fact of the argument in return.

"That was everything," he replied, a bit louder than he should have. She stared at him with an 'like I'm gonna believe that' look. "So stop looking at me like that. And, uh," he transitioned, clearing his throat. "Like I said, it's your turn."

"Not until you tell me everything."

"You should've specified that then."

She couldn't believe him. No, scratch that, she could. "I'm leaving," she said, turning to walk out the door.

"Hey, you can't just go," Tony told her, grabbing her wrist. "We had a deal."

"What's the point," Pepper asked, facing him. "You're obviously not telling me everything, so why should I?"

"Fine. Then, yes or no?"

"Yes or no? To what," she questioned. She was confused, but also getting more irritated.

"To the question you were gonna ask. What do you think I would had said?"

"Um, I...I'm not sure I follow," Pepper stammered, casting down her gaze for a second. In the process, she failed to see him closing the gap between the two of them. "What question did you think I had in mind," she asked, meeting his brown eyes. He couldn't know? Could he?

Tony could tell he wasn't going to get anywhere with her, not the way she was acting. Then, for the second time today, he did what his heart told him to do. He leaned in and kissed her.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this update took so long! Long story short, I just graduated college and just took time out to relax! This is the longest chapter I've ever written, but you all deserve it! I promise to get the next chapter out sooner. In return, leave an review? You guys rock. See you all next time. Thank you for reading :)<strong>


	14. Hardest Part Is Over

Resting his hands on her waist, he pulled her towards him. Pepper's eyes widened, but she didn't move. She just stared at him as he continued to inch her closer and closer until his lips gently brushed against hers. He lingered for a couple seconds, then slowly drew back, anxious for her response. Her eyes had just opened, but instead of meeting his gaze, she kept it focused on his mouth. He took it as a good sign and leaned in for another kiss, but to his dismay, she pulled back.

"What's wrong?" Tony tried to meet her gaze, but she was having none of it. "Hey," he said, reaching up and using his thumb to caress her cheek. "You alright?"

"What do you think," she asked, brushing past him.

"Look, I know that was wrong," he admitted, turning around. "But it was all..." He sighed. Did he really have to explain this?

"I get it."

Tony nodded, glancing at the ground. "It just hurts, you know? Seeing him here with you." He looked up and finally faced her. "I mean, I've been trying to work up the courage to say something for weeks, but each time I tried, it scared the shit out of me and I backed out instead." He let out a nervous chuckle, glad all of this was finally coming out. "I'm not good at relationships. I've never even wanted one, but the thought of trying it out with you doesn't seem so bad."

She listened as he kept talking. There was a honesty in his voice that she had never heard from him before; she couldn't bring herself to tell him to stop.

"Maybe," Pepper replied once he finished. "But we live in the real world, and in the real world, you and I will never work."

"Really?" He grabbed her hand, preventing her from walking away from him a second time. She had felt terrible for saying it, but it was true. "All because I don't fit neatly in your list of standards?" He didn't know if she even had a list, but a girl like her probably did.

"No," she corrected. "Because I'm with Robert."

Her answer wasn't good enough for him. "And?"

"And," Pepper repeated, taking offense to that. "What kind of person do you think I am?"

"How about a coward," Tony dared to say, which nearly earned him a slap across the face if not for his fast reflexes. "Running away isn't going to solve anything," he told her, letting go of her wrist.

"Neither will staying here," she angrily argued. "And just so we're clear, I'm not dumping Robert. Not for anyone. Especially you."

"So I was right." He never believed a heart could shatter into a million pieces - guess he'd just been proven wrong. Her response didn't shock him. Everyone said he was genius, but secretly he always felt more of a failure. He was never good enough. For anybody. Not for his father, and clearly, not for Pepper.

She could see the pain in his eyes and it hurt her just as much to know she was the one responsible for it. She hadn't meant to be so blunt. She could apologize, but what good would it do? It wouldn't take back what she'd just said.

"What's so great about him," Tony asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Because I really don't see it."

"That's none of your business."

"Just tell me," he shot back, taking several steps towards her.

"No," Pepper replied, standing her ground.

He pressed on. "I mean, how's that harder than rejecting me?"

"Tony, I can't do this," she said instead, making her way to the door. "I need to leave."

"No, you don't," he countered, blocking her way. "Why can't we talk about this?"

"Because there is nothing to talk about," Pepper told him, her voice laced with frustration. Then with a lowered voice, she apologized. "I'm sorry." She was telling herself 'don't cry,' but her tears had different plans. She never did like hurting people's feelings.

"Then why'd you put up with it," Tony asked. "You could had easily told me to leave you alone."

"I don't know," Pepper responded quietly. But she did know. He made her laugh. He made her forget about her relationship problems. Simply put, she felt happier around him. She kept telling herself it didn't mean anything, but deep down she knew it meant everything.

"You do know," he corrected. "You just won't admit it." He'd learned early on that Pepper wasn't a good liar.

"I can't." She didn't even know what was coming out of her mouth. She just wanted to get out of here. "Not, not right now. And Robert-"

Just hearing his name made his blood boil. "What if you guys broke up," Tony interrupted.

"It wouldn't matter," Pepper softly spoke, sniffing back her tears. She didn't want to hurt him, but what other choice did she have? "Even if Robert didn't exist, I wouldn't just let you date me. I mean, do you even think you would be here if I turned out to be the kind of girl you thought I was?"

"What's that supposed to mean," he asked, taken aback by her question.

"You've been eyeing me like I'm some juicy piece of meat since the moment you saw me."

"That's not true," Tony replied, defending himself. He remembered it was Pepper's hair color that distinctively caught his attention.

"And that's a lie," she responded. It was easier for her to accept it as one than to think he was telling the truth.

"That's what this is about," he asked incredulously. "The fact that I hit on you? Pepper, if you didn't notice, I do it with every girl."

"That's my point," she snapped. _Yeah, _Tony thought, _I walked right into that one. _"You always get the girl, but with me, you didn't. That's why you're doing this. Feelings have nothing to do with it."

"That's not fair," Tony firmly said. "You might not believe me, but what I feel is what I feel. You can't tell me otherwise."

"You're right. I can't," Pepper realized, after a period of silence. She looked at her hands, her left one was slowly rubbing her right. It was a nervous habit of hers. Clearing her throat, she gathered her thoughts and stared back up at him. "But you said so yourself just then. You've never wanted relationships and going into one with you if Robert and I broke up...it doesn't sound like the best thing to do. You're unpredictable, Tony. I don't think I can handle it."

"What are you trying to say," he asked, offended by how low of an opinion she had on him. "That I'd purposely do something to screw things up?"

"No, that's not it." She sighed. "You follow anything with boobs, Tony. That's just the kind of person you are, which is fine. You like that kind of life. I don't. We're different. Too different. It makes us incompatible."

"Okay, first of all, Pepper, I do not follow anything with boobs. That's offensive." She rolled her eyes. "Even I have standards," Tony rationalized, stepping forward. "And, second, how could you really know?"

She saw his approach and matched his step backwards. She didn't want him any closer than he already was.

"Unless you're a hundred percent sure that douchebag out there is it for you."

"Robert is not a douchebag."

"He punched me in the face."

"You deserved it!"

"Pepper, come on," Tony plead, stepping towards her again. "Please?" He was not about to give up. Not now, not when he could feel her giving in.

She did not like where this conversation was headed. At what point during their fight had it turned into this instead? Because if she could, she'd rewind time and stay there. She preferred the yelling. It was easier than this.

"No," she forced out. "Plus, you've got a line of girls that would be more than willing to take my place. Why don't you give them a shot?"

Tony sighed. _Why is she being so stubborn? _It was starting to drive him insane. He knew she liked him - just how much was irrelevant. The important thing was that she did. _She__ wouldn't had kissed me if she didn't. _"I don't want them. I want you."

"Good thing I get to make the final call then," Pepper replied, the words coming out of her mouth before she let herself be affected by the sincerity of his.

He was just about to respond when her phone rang. He mentally sighed when Pepper chose to answer it.

"What," Pepper asked, irritated. "Okay. I'll be there."

"Who was that?" There wasn't really a point in asking. Who else would it be?

"Robert. He's looking for me."

"Great," Tony replied, scoffing. "So you're really gonna choose him over me?"

She sighed. "I'm not choosing-"

"Fine," he interrupted. He wasn't about to beg. He wouldn't sink that low for her. For any girl. "Get the fuck out of here then."

She looked at Tony, speechless, not believing what she had just heard.

"Did you not hear me," he asked, holding his tone.

"No," Pepper replied quietly, fighting back her urge to cry right in front of him. "I heard you." She stared at Tony one last time hoping he would apologize for the harshness of his voice, but when all he did was stare back at her with iciness, she rushed out the doors, wiping the away the tears that had crept their way out.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>I know, I'm horrible, but I promise they'll get together soon!<strong>**

**Thanks for the large amount of feedback from the last chapter, it really makes me happy! See you next time :)**


	15. Gasoline On Fire

Tony and Robert were driving her insane. She was mad at Robert for provoking a fight, but she was even more mad at Tony for kissing her. Two days had passed since their argument, and she still couldn't quite believe he had feelings for her. Everything happened so fast, it was too much to take in at once. She told herself his words didn't mean anything, but they did.

"My dad caught me sneaking in last night and sat me down for a two hour lecture on how guys are only after one thing."

Pepper raised her brows, looking at her computer screen. "Do I even want to know?"

"Nothing happened. I got hungry and wanted Taco Bell," Morgan deadpanned. "The one time I sneak out and not to get wasted, I get caught? It's stupid. Maybe I should've gone through the front door."

"Yeah. That would have helped," Pepper chuckled. "But you got food, didn't you? Where did-"

"Ate it driving back," Morgan interrupted. "And what could had been so important that you had to leave me 38 messages calling me a bitch?"

Pepper winced. "I overreacted."

"Yeah, you did," her best friend responded. "Let me guess, it has something to do with the fight between Tony and Robert."

"What? How did you find out about that?"

"I was in the room when he called Kevin."

"God, I'm gonna kill him," Pepper said, shaking her head. "Oh, wait," she thought suddenly. "Do you know why he punched Tony in the face?"

"You don't know," Morgan asked, amused.

"If I did, would I be asking?"

"Jeez, lose the attitude, will you? I know you're angry at Robert, but don't take it out on me." When Pepper stayed quiet, she continued. "Tony might have said he slept with you."

Pepper's eyes widened in horror. "He did what?!"

"Well, he didn't say that exactly," Morgan quickly responded. "But he implied it. I guess Robert said something that Tony didn't like and he hit back by saying he had you in his bed. Did Robert not tell you that?"

"If he did, would I be-"

"Attitude, Potts," Morgan pointed out again. "So are you gonna yell at him? Because if you are, do it in here. I want front row seats," she said, grinning.

"As much as I'd love to, I can't. Robert's not here."

"Where is he?"

"Visiting his friends at UCLA. I didn't go with him."

"Aw, what's wrong," Morgan pouted falsely. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Will you wipe that stupid look off your face," Pepper asked, chuckling a little. "I want to slap you."

"Along with two other people. So what happened after?"

"Nothing you don't already know."

"Oh, please. I know you went after Tony and that you were gone for a long time."

"Nothing happened."

"Nothing happened? Yeah, right. That's what people say when they have something to hide."

"No. I didn't mean it like that. I meant..." She trailed off. There was no use hiding it anymore. "Okay, fine. Something did happen."

Morgan gasped, eyes wide. "Oh my god. You did sleep with him."

"What? No! Are you nuts," Pepper shouted.

Morgan sighed, looking on her nails in disinterest. "Yeah, suddenly this just got a whole less interesting."

Then, before Pepper could stop herself, she told her. "Tony kissed me."

"Holy shit," her best friend gasped.

"Yep," Pepper said, popping the 'p.'

"How was it," Morgan asked after her shock wore off.

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure? It was either good or it wasn't, Pepper."

She sighed. "Well, it felt good at first..."

"Don't tell me you were disappointed."

"No, and that's the problem. I actually liked it." She expected Morgan to make some sort of quip or response, but she stayed silent, her mouth gaped open. "And then there's the fact that he likes me."

"Aw, how cute. What did Tony say," Morgan inquired, a smile on her face.

"That he's been trying to tell me for weeks, but couldn't act on it until Robert was here. You should've seen him, Morgan. I literally stood there and tore his heart into pieces."

"What," Morgan asked, her smile dissipating. "Why would you do that?"

"I didn't mean to," Pepper defended. "It just came out. He was saying all these nice things and I just couldn't stop myself from saying the things I did."

"You were scared," Morgan emphasized.

"Yeah. And I didn't want to believe him."

"Well, he's not an ordinary guy. Plus, I don't think you overreacted at all. I know I give you a hard time about Robert, but Tony? Pepper, he's unpredictable."

"That didn't stop you from wanting us to be together."

"As a hook up. I never expected it to go beyond that."

"That's what I told him," Pepper pointed out. "We aren't compatible."

"Yeah, you guys aren't," she agreed. "But if you ask me, I think it's worth it." Secretly, she thought they'd be cute together. "I know it sounds crazy, but you guys can be good for one another. You can tame his wild side and he can bring out yours."

"I just don't know what to do," Pepper groaned.

"Have you guys talked since?"

"No. We didn't exactly leave on good terms. In fact, he told me to fuck off."

"Yikes," Morgan flinched. "Maybe you should call him?"

"That's a horrible idea."

"Well, you did shatter his heart, Pepper. The least you could do is apologize."

"He wouldn't let me go!"

"Which tells you a lot, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Pepper quietly agreed. She felt awful. Her mouth hadn't cooperated with her brain and the result of it was hurting Tony more than she should have. She should had just told him she wasn't interested and left it at that.

"Face it, Pepper. Robert's not the guy you're meant to be with. And this isn't me and my ulterior motives. You know it just as well as I do."

"I'm just afraid."

"Of what," Morgan questioned.

"Of what comes after if I do break up with Robert. I've known him three years; he's been in my life for two. How can I just let that go?"

Morgan shrugged. "Sometimes love just isn't enough. But, whatever you do, I'll support you."

"Thanks," Pepper smiled. "And what's this about you and Kevin? Are you two back together?"

Morgan blushed. "Maybe."

"Oh my god. You guys totally are!"

"I don't kiss and tell."

"You do nothing but kiss and tell," Pepper shot back, which made Morgan laugh. "When did it happen?"

"During Emma's party. I saw this girl talking to him and I literally flipped out. I think I was half drunk."

"What happened after," Pepper chuckled.

"He said I threw up on him. Of course I-"

A soft knock on Pepper's door stopped Morgan mid-sentence.

"Hey," Peter said, his head now sticking through the partially opened door. "Tony's outside. Says he wants to talk to you."

"What," both girls shouted. He just shrugged.

"Tell him to leave."

"Yeah, I said that, but he's not budging."

"What are you waiting for," Morgan shouted. "Go out there!"

Pepper turned to her screen. "I don't want to talk to him!"

"Will you girls just chill out," Peter interrupted. When it was silent, he continued. "Morgan's right. You need to get out there. He's blocking the driveway."

Pepper sighed and crawled over her bed to look out the window. Like Peter had said, Tony was out on the driveway, his back against his Audi. "Fine," she relented. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

"Wait," Morgan said when Peter left. "You're going out dressed in that," she criticized.

Pepper glanced at her oversized t-shirt and black capris leggings. "What's wrong with what I have on?"

"Everything! You want Tony to think you've been lounging here all day thinking about him?"

"I don't care what he thinks."

"Well, you should. Don't you have standards?"

Pepper sighed. "Fine! I'll change." Morgan wouldn't stop talking if she didn't.

"Fix your make up, too. And call me once you get back," Morgan screamed as Pepper closed her laptop.

* * *

><p>Pepper nervously bit her bottom lip as she walked out the front door. "Hi," she quietly announced.<p>

Tony looked up and smiled. "Hey." Shoving his phone inside his pocket, he directed his attention to her. "You busy? I can leave if you are."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "You're okay."

He nodded. "You wanna get something to eat?"

"I'm not sure that's-"

"Uh," Tony interrupted. "That came out wrong. Look, I just want to talk about what happened and I thought it'd be easier if we did it over food or something."

"My mom just started cooking. I don't want her to think-"

"Pepper, it's fine. You don't have to explain." He understood why she would decline. He would too if he was in her position. "It'll only take me a couple minutes anyways."

"What for," she asked, anxious.

"I know you don't want to talk to me," Tony began. The time it took for her to come out told him that. "But just hear me out. I didn't come here to argue or pick a fight. With anybody," he told her, just in case she thought that. Which deep down sounded good. But this wasn't the right time for it. He'd get Robert back when he least expected it.

"There's a patio swing on the front porch," Pepper caved. Morgan had a point. She could afford to listen to what he had to say.

"Okay," Tony said, following her lead. Things were definitely awkward.

She sat next to him, but kept distance. She had no idea where their conversation was heading, but she did know one thing: there wasn't going to be a repeat of what happened Friday.

"Um," he began, staring her in the eyes. His nerves were getting the best of him, but he tried not to show it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't had snapped at you. I just-"

"You should be," Pepper interrupted, not breaking eye contact.

"Yeah, I fucked up," Tony agreed, gazing past her this time. He had not taken the rejection well, but Robert calling had broken his last reserve. He shouldn't had lashed out on her, and he regretted doing so, but not a thing beforehand.

"Well, I appreciate the apology," she said, a small smile involuntary escaping her lips.

"I get it, too," he said, keeping his stare on the roses behind Pepper. "You love him."

Pepper nodded. "Robert's not a bad guy."

"I know," Tony retorted, biting back his anger upon hearing Robert's name.

"Is that it," she asked, softly putting a hand on his arm, which caused him to look at it before staring back up at her.

"Yeah," he answered, an underlying sadness laced in his voice. He wanted to tell her how he really felt about her relationship with Robert, but he had no right. Besides, Robert made her happy. He didn't want to get in the way of that. It hurt him to do this, but he'd get over it. Plus, she had a point. He'd just break her heart. It wouldn't be intentional, not at all, just predetermined fate. Happiness was relative, and for him, the feeling never existed. There was enough sadness clouding his life that told him that. "I meant what I said, I really do like you, but I'm not gonna waste my time chasing something I'll never get." He tried and failed. He wouldn't subject himself to that kind of pain again.

"Okay," Pepper replied, almost disappointedly. She half expected him to put up a fight, but he wasn't - not in the slightest. Had she pushed him too far away?

"I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for you guys," he said, smiling a little, a false one at that.

She quickly saw through the façade, but said nothing of it. "I hope not, too."

"We're good then," Tony asked, getting up. She nodded. "Great. Oh, and I promise not to kiss you again," he joked.

Pepper chuckled.

"You liked it though, didn't you?"

"I'm not saying."

"Fine. Not like I don't know you did." Tony shot her an innocent smile and then checked the time on his watch. "I guess I'll go. My break's over in ten minutes."

"You have somewhere to be?"

"Stark Industries. I'm running diagnostics on some the weapons my dad just created."

"Wow, he trusts you that much to do that," Pepper asked_. God, that came out horrible. _"I mean, it sounds important. Doesn't your dad have people specifically trained to look at that kind of stuff?"

"Yeah, but he knows my brain works faster than all them combined."

"But I'm guessing they dress better."

Tony frowned, looking at his shirt and tie. Sure, his knot could be tighter, but it wasn't too bad. Or, at least, that's what he thought. "What's wrong with the way I dress?"

Pepper gave him a 'seriously' look, which made him glance at his clothes once again. She sighed. "Sneakers?"

"They match my shirt," he easily defended.

"Then there's the fact that your tie's incredibly sloppy," she went on, walking towards him.

"It's called being fashionable."

"It's called being lazy," Pepper corrected, fixing his tie.

"Mmm," Tony hummed, watching her ministrations. "I think I look awesome."

"Maybe," she smiled, letting her hands fall to her sides. "But it wouldn't hurt you to clean up a little."

"I just do it to annoy my dad."

"Really," Pepper asked, curiously. "Why would you purposely do something like that?"

"Cause I can," Tony shrugged. "Plus, he kinda deserves it. He's always giving me a hard time. Might as well return the favor." He glanced at his tie and grinned. "Thanks, Pepper."

She smiled back. "It looks better, doesn't it?"

"Sure," he responded, a bit sarcastically. He still thought it looked better his way. "See you tomorrow."

Pepper watched Tony go, more confused than anything else. Were they back to being friends? How could they given everything that happened? Would she just learn to accept it the same way he was trying to accept her relationship? She really did like having him around, liked him as a friend...but the way she had felt when she realized how hurt he was the entire duration of their conversation...it did something to her a normal friend would not had.

Then there was Robert - the actual problem in her life. He had been adamant on not telling her the reason why he had punched Tony, and now that she had the answer, she understood. Tony was out of line and it hurt that he would even say such a thing to begin with. If he liked her as much as he said he did, why would he make her sound like she was one of his girls?

Robert and her were on the road to a breakup, and if she could, she'd break up with him right now. But that was easier said than done and attempting to do so seemed impossible. She loved him and couldn't let him go. It wasn't the most logical reason, but it was the only one she had. She was happy with Robert, but it wasn't the same kind of happiness prior her move to California and his trip to Europe. Too much had happened since then. Tony didn't make things easier for them, but it was more their fault than his. Instead of working things out, they avoided one another. She wished she had the courage to push Tony away, but doing so meant she would also have to shut him out of her life. For good. Was she willing to do that?

She wasn't even sure how long she'd been sitting here thinking about this. By the time she glanced up, she noticed the sun had nearly disappeared. Deciding she had worried enough about Tony and Robert for the night, she went inside.

"Dad?" He wasn't supposed to be home until seven._ Is it seven? _She glanced at the clock and saw it was ten past six. "You're home early."

"Hey, sweetheart," her father greeted. "It's weird, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Pepper easily agreed.

"I just explained everything to your mom. One of the warehouses on the North side of Stark Industries exploded. Howard Stark called an emergency evacuation. Everyone had to leave. No questions asked."

"Does that mean your office was near it? He wouldn't have told you guys to if it weren't, right?"

"That's the thing. We were actually a safe distance from it. I didn't even know what was happening until I overheard people talking in the parking lot."

"I think you're right, Richard," she heard her mother say as she walked into the kitchen. "It's on every channel."

"What's on every channel," Pepper asked, curious as to what was going on.

Richard turned to his daughter, looking at her sympathetically. He knew she wouldn't take this well. "They're saying Tony might have been in that building when it exploded."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, no...what have I done? Don't worry guys, I swear this is going somewhere. So what do you guys think? Was Tony in the warehouse? Will Pepper run to the hospital?<strong>

**I'm sorry it took so long for me to update! I know you all were dying to know what happened next. But fear not, I plan to have them together within the next TWO chapters, so look forward to that! **


	16. Dashes On The Road

"What's the matter with you? Park up front," Maria told him, her voice raised.

"Would you stop screaming? It's not making things better," Howard shot back, his voice collected - the complete opposite of his wife's. "And if you'd been paying attention, you would have seen the sign we just passed that said medical parking-"

She turned her head and shot him a piercing stare, which shut him up immediately. "Pull up at the front," Maria repeated. Knowing better, Howard complied. "Anthony left in an ambulance and you're choosing now to become an upholding citizen? Well, let me tell you something, you're three decades too late!"

"I'm just as worried as you are," he exasperated.

"Really? It's hard to tell," Maria told him, slamming the car door to reiterate her point.

Howard got out, too, and glanced at her. "You seriously want to fight about this now?"

Maria didn't want to fight. Her son was in bad condition. That was what mattered. She took a deep breath and rushed into the emergency room, fear and panic coursing through her veins. "Excuse me," she called out, grabbing the sleeve of a passing nurse.

The woman eyed her manicured nails and designer outfit. "Look, I don't know who you're looking for, but if you'd go upstairs, the receptionist-" She trailed off, seeing a familiar face behind her. She might not have recognized her, but she did him. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mrs. Stark," she apologized. "Right this way," she told them. "Your son was brought in five minutes ago. The doctor's trying his best to stabilize him."

"What's wrong," Howard asked. Contrary to what his wife thought, he really was worried.

Maria stopped listening upon seeing the sight in front of her. The doctor had just retrieved a bag of warm saline and connected it to the IV port on her son's arm. His chest was exposed. She saw faint handprints, probably from the CPR that was administered earlier. "What are you doing," she spoke, getting his attention.

The doctor raised a hand to silence her. She was about to tear into him, but quickly noticed he had on a stethoscope. Letting him to his job, she held back and waited until he finished.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stark," he greeted, removing his gloves to shake their hands. "I'm Dr. Michelson, the attending physician." He took a deep breath, then continued. "Your son's left lung has collapsed. I have a nurse bringing in x-rays for confirmation of liquid in his pleural space. Great news is that I was able to raise his body temperature. Unfortunately, it's not where I'd like it be for his operation."

"He needs surgery," Maria croaked, heart racing.

"He's got a pleural effusion and it's really serious. His right lung has already started working overtime to compensate for his left. The procedure itself is simple: incision to the cavity. It'll drain everything out. Our catheters aren't efficient enough."

"So do it," Howard retorted.

"I want his oxygen level up at least 8% first," Dr. Michelson replied. "He is stable though, which works in our favor. If you want, stand next to him. He should be waking up soon."

Maria nodded, grabbing hold of Howard's hand as they walked over to their son. She felt helpless.

"He'll be fine. The kid's strong willed."

"It's your fault. You did this by forcing him into working at SI."

"He's learning the value of a dollar," Howard said. This was his fault. He wouldn't argue against it.

"He hates it," Maria softly said, brushing a stray lock of hair from Tony's forehead. "But that doesn't stop him from showing up and wanting to prove something to you. I tell him it isn't worth it, but he doesn't listen." She glanced at her husband for the briefest second. "Just pat him on the back or tell him he did great. It'll mean the world to him."

Howard glanced at his son, then at Maria. "He knows I care."

"No, he doesn't," she argued. "He thinks the exact opposite."

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll talk to Tony when he pulls out of this." He never considered himself a family man. He did not have time, patience, or paternal instinct for it. His life consisted of mechanics. He liked producing weapons of mass destruction. Nothing else mattered. So when Maria told him one night she was pregnant, he felt nothing but fear. He never wanted children; had never even changed his mind after falling in love with her. He was already a terrible husband. He did not want to add 'terrible father' to the list. But she was thrilled and he let her have that. He'd do anything to see her happy, and the same went for his son. It just took him sixteen years and a heart stopping phone call to realize it.

"You think he'll wake up if we talk to him?"

"It's a simple procedure," Howard reassured, an attempt to calm her worries.

"I don't care," Maria said, turning to look at her son's lifeless form. She grabbed his hand. "Hi, sweetheart. You're doing great. Keep it up. I know it hurts, I know you're tired, but keep fighting just a bit longer, alright? It's almost over. Because, as crazy as it sounds, we need you. You can't leave us." She broke off with a sob, her eyes filling with tears. She knew her son was going to be fine, but she had just came too close to losing him. The paramedics had gotten Tony out of the water just in time.

"Hey," Howard teased. "You know I hate it when you cry." He was going through the same feelings as Maria, but had to stay strong for her.

"He looks so pale," Maria commented, watching as Dr. Michelson reappeared.

"Alright," the doctor said, turning to look at the worried couple. "We're gonna drain out just enough liquid from his cavity to bring him out of unconsciousness. He'll most likely not know where he is, but don't worry. It's normal. He'll calm down."

They nod and watch as the doctor wiped clean a space between Tony's two ribs. Once he found a sight for injection, Dr. Michelson drove the needle through cartilage so the pressure in Tony's lung could be relieved for a limited amount of time. As predicted, his patient gasped for air within ten seconds.

Tony scanned his surroundings. He saw machines, machines that had wires attached to him. There was a beeping noise, too, and out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed his parents; then the syringe being pulled out his chest. Panic overtook him. He tried to sit up, but was immediately forced back down. "What the...where...where am I?" God, his chest hurt.

He felt something touch him, something warm. He turned to look at it, then heard a familiar voice. "Baby, we're right here." It was soothing. It calmed him. He looked up and was relieved to see his mother. "I know you don't like following rules, but you need to stay still. You'll hurt yourself if you don't," she told him, rubbing her hand up and down his arm.

Whatever they just gave him, it worked. He could no longer fight the hands that were still on him. "Mom." He gasped. "I can't. It...hurts. Can't breathe."

"Can you do something about this," Howard asked, his voice stern. "He's in pain."

"Painkillers actually have an effect of lowering respiratory drive, which is what we're trying to steer away from." Dr. Michelson did, however, lift Tony's head to put a pillow behind him. "This should so the trick," he told his patient, pulling the oxygen mask over Tony's face.

"I know it hurts, sweetheart, but it'll just be awhile longer," Maria told Tony, holding his hand. "They're fixing up an OR."

That set off another panic attack. He needed surgery? What happened? He tried to get up a second time, but like his first attempt, he was forcibly pushed back down, only this time by his father.

"Did you not hear what your mother said? Quit it."

"Howard," Maria chastised. "I should had phrased that better," she said, redirecting her attention to her child. "You're fine. It's nothing. The doctor just needs to remove liquid from your pleural cavity."

Tony didn't have the strength to argue. He just grasped onto his mother's hand as hard as he could so she couldn't leave. He didn't know how he got here, but remembered what happened. An explosion. Out of nowhere. It had knocked him into the water. He had almost made it out, but then a splitting headache came on and stopped him. He couldn't move, so he gave up. Darkness took over and he gave in...but now, now it was the complete opposite. It was bright, safe. He didn't want to leave. If only he had the energy to stay here.

* * *

><p>Pepper walked into the hospital, not sure where she was headed. She had been staring at the front entrance for quite some time trying to muster up the courage to go in. No one knew the condition he was in. Howard Stark had brought in the best lawyers to prevent any information from escaping out. It killed her to not know if he was alright or not. School had started three days ago and Robert had left for Maryland the same time. Now nothing was preventing her from seeing him...not that he was. She just wanted a nip an argument before it happened.<p>

"Mrs. Stark," she quietly called out. She had just exited out the fourth floor, not knowing her reasoning behind it. It just felt right. She wasn't even sure if it was her, and if it had been, Maria wouldn't had heard her. No one could given how low she'd just spoken. Taking a deep breath, she followed after her. She turned the corner and heard her talking to a well-dressed man, obviously her husband. Her obsession with E! confirmed it was the Howard Stark. She wasn't even near him and could feel the intimidation he allured.

"He's been talking to JARVIS ever since you brought in that stuffed animal."

"Well, if you were ever home, you'd know the kid requires a lot of attention. He's bored out of his mind just sitting there. Which reminds me," Maria casually slipped in. "You remember what we talked about, right?"

Howard sighed and looked at the door that separated them from their son. "Unfortunately."

"Don't tell me you're scared," Maria lightly teased.

"I'm not," he denied. "I just don't think it's the right time. Like you said, Tony needs his rest."

"You're doing this," Maria reaffirmed. "There's no way out of it. I'll lock you inside if I have to."

"What if he doesn't want to hear it?"

"That won't be a problem. And didn't you say you needed to talk to him? Something about how the warehouse didn't explode because of something he did?"

"Yeah," he replied. At first, he thought his son had unintentionally set something off, causing the explosion, but after forensics looked around, he was told that the explosion was caused externally; and that meant one thing: someone had tried to kill him. His son had clocked in two minutes prior the explosion. It made sense. He played it off for Maria's sake, not wanting to worry her just yet...at least not until he heard Tony's version of the event. He knew better than to keep this from her. He dealt with dangerous men on a daily basis, but none held a candle to Maria.

"Then what are you waiting-" Maria cut off mid-sentence, catching Pepper's figure in her peripheral vision. "We have a visitor."

Howard turned to look at the person. "Tony's not accepting visitors. Come back another time."

"Ignore him," Maria apologized, motioning Pepper to walk up. "His manners disappear on lack of sleep," she explained, a silent warning telling him to behave.

"I'm sorry for intruding," Pepper spoke, ignoring the stare she was getting from the man beside Maria.

"Don't be," she smiled. "Tony will be glad to see you. He's been around so many guys, a girl will do him good."

"If this is a bad time, I can go. I actually came over just to see if he was okay. I also have his school work," Pepper replied, taking off her backpack. She didn't want to make things difficult.

"Tony's fine. Go on in."

When Pepper was out of sight, Maria glanced at Howard. "Why do you have to be so rude? She's a nice girl, Howard."

"Every girl that boy hangs out with is nice," he responded, shooting her a knowing look.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of 'nice.' So be good when you see her again. I have a feeling she'll be around a long time."

Howard scoffed. "Maybe you're the one that needs sleep."

"Trust me, it's mother's intuition. She's my ticket to grandchildren."

"You really do need sleep." He laughed. "Grandchildren?"

"Course," she smiled. "I need babies to spoil once I'm older."

He shook his head. "You're getting ahead of yourself, Maria."

"Says the one who got wrapped around Tony's finger when he was a baby. Now, let's go. Those two need their privacy."

Tony knew who his visitor was. JARVIS warned him. His first thought was to get up and lock the door, but what good would that do? _She'll think I'm purposely avoiding her. _He wanted to move on, wanted to go back to his old life. He was afraid her walking in would make him regret everything he'd said. He respected her choice, respected that she chose Robert instead of him...but seeing her here seriously cast doubt on her decision.

The door swung open, so he held his breath, looking expectantly at it as it opened more and more until his brown eyes met her blues ones.

"Hey," he said, his voice low.

Pepper smiled. "Hi. Can I come in?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Were you trying to hide him?"

"What," Tony asked, eyeing the direction of her gaze only to see that he had not covered Waffles as good as he thought. "Oh." He brought his stuffed bear out of the covers and set him on the bed table. "I'm not supposed to have anything that hasn't been sterilized."

"Why," Pepper questioned, walking up to his bed upon hearing so. "What happened?"

"Nothing," he said, and too quickly.

"That was the wrong thing to say," she told him, her voice stern but laced with concern.

"I'm fine." He sighed. "It's stupid. Everyone's being careful around me cause I'm Howard Stark's son. They know he'll burn this place to the ground if something bad happened to me."

She took a seat next to him. That made sense. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of a weapons manufacturer's wrath.

"What are you doing here," Tony asked, busying himself by folding the end of his sheets. "Won't you get in trouble if he finds out you visited me?"

"Robert doesn't run my life," Pepper explained. "Besides, he's back in Maryland." That caused him to look up. Maybe he wasn't ready to move on. "You could had texted me that you weren't coming to class." It was her way of hinting she was worried. "I had to dissect a frog."

"Really," he asked, not bothering to hide the smile on his face. He remembered she was scared of them. "That's so awesome."

Pepper responded by punching him lightly on the arm.

"Ouch," he shouted, feigning hurt by rubbing the point of impact. "That hurt. I'm very sensitive right now, Pep."

She chuckled. "You're pathetic." Then her face turned serious. "So what happened?"

Tony shrugged. "All I remember is being knocked in the water, then waking up here."

"Do you want to remember?"

"No. My mom said I was complaining about chest pains and not being able to breathe, so I'm guessing I was in really bad shape."

"Well," she began, setting her hand on his arm. "I'm glad you're alright."

Tony smiled and looked at her hand. "Me, too."

A silence overtook them. Neither knew what to say to the other. He hadn't expected her visit and she didn't plan on staying long, but couldn't bring herself to leave. For some reason, she felt like staying.

"You never answered my question," he said, breaking the silence. "What are you doing here?"

Pepper decided to start off with a neutral topic. "Homework."

"Oh," Tony responded, disappointedly. He looked down in an effort to hide it, but it didn't go unnoticed.

"But also because I was worried about you," she added, which brought another smile to his face. She didn't know why she blurted it out - maybe because of his disappointment...but it just slipped out. Maybe it was time to face the truth. How did she really feel about him? "I think I need to apologize."

He looked at her with confusion.

"I was really harsh on you. And then this happened, which made me feel even worse." Before she knew it, she was rambling. "I didn't know if you were okay or not. I didn't know if you made it out alive...I didn't know anything. And what's with the high road act? Huh? It's stupid. You're really gonna give up? That easily? Or was this part of your plan? Did you not call just so I'd have no choice but to come here? Cause if it was, then you're a jerk, Tony. You know that? Why would you do this to me?"

Tony stared at her, more confused than ever. She had gone from sad, mad, to sad again in a matter of seconds. He didn't know what to say. "I, um...what?" He scratched his head, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"What do you mean 'what?' Were you not listening?"

"No, I did. It's just that...uh, are you on your cycle?" Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say, but it was the only thing he could think of. He blamed the drugs.

Her eyes widened. "What?!"

"Was that rhetorical like mine or did you actually want me to repeat what I said?"

"How about you just shut up," Pepper suggested.

Tony nodded and agreed. "Wait." He looked at her with furrowed brows. "Did you say I was stupid?"

She crossed her arms and stared pointedly at him. "And a jerk."

"What do you want me to say? I've been held in here for days, Pepper. I can't even leave this room without my dad's bodyguards dragging my ass back in here."

"Well, I didn't see any guards outside."

"That's because dad's here. Which is so much worse. He keeps glaring at me through that window. It's like he's waiting for me to do something so he can yell at me for it."

"I actually overheard him talking to your mom. He is worried about you."

Tony scoffed. "Yeah, right. The only thing he cares about is his business."

Pepper could sense the hostility he had for his father and decided to leave it be. It wasn't her business. "So do you know when you're getting out of here," she asked, changing the subject.

"Why do you want me out of here so badly?" The question caught her off guard. "You miss me?"

She looked at her hands, not able to form eye contact. She had been too angry at herself to miss him. "I think Robert and I are about to break up. It's not your fault, I know, but, I don't know...it feels like it is. We were working things out before you came in and complicated things, and now I just don't know what to do. Robert's safe. I trust him. He's not gonna go off and do something stupid when I'm not around." She looked up. "I don't know if I can say the same about you."

He was glad they were about to break up. At least he got something out of it.

"What I said at school, I didn't mean half of it. I was just confused about everything." She took a deep breath, then looked at him expectantly. How he'd respond would be crucial to her decision. "Why me? You could have any girl in the world. I just don't get it."

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully you guys enjoyed the family aspect! Look forward to Pepperony fluff in the next one. I'm working on it as we speak!<strong>


	17. Mark With Every Word

He had poured his heart out to her and she had shot him down; broke it into pieces. And now here she was upset at him for not telling her he was alright? She had no right. If anything, he should be the one questioning her. She had told him he wasn't good enough. To a certain extent, he understood. But she just said something about still having a chance. What changed? He couldn't help but wonder.

"I already told you," Tony said instead.

Pepper shook her head. "No. You only told me you liked me."

"But I kissed you." Did it not tell her how he felt about her? He had never kissed a girl like that. Ever. And to have it all be for nothing? It hurt.

"That isn't enough for me."

"That isn't enough?" Now he was getting upset. "Why not?"

It was a simple question, but to her, it had the weight of the world on it. "You're avoiding my question."

"And you're avoiding mine."

Could it really be that she wanted him? She thought she had it all figured out, but then this happened, and it left her questioning her decision for the last three days. He told her how he felt and she rejected him, but at the same time he got what he wanted. Part of her wanted to give him a chance, but she wasn't sure it was worth pursuing. She needed to hear an extra something from him.

"Pepper, if you're gonna be difficult, forget it. I don't want to fight again."

She didn't either, so what about a compromise? "I'll answer yours if you answer mine?"

"Are you gonna bail out like last time," he asked her. He did not want a repeat of the locker room. He held up his end of the bargain. She hadn't.

"I won't." She had to sort things out. Was determined to sort things out.

Tony nodded. This was his chance. He tried to find the words, but came up short handed. He was an 'actions speak louder than words' kind of guy. "I think, uh..." He paused and cast his gaze down with furrowed brows. God, he was bad at this.

"Take your time," she softly spoke. "Don't want you to feel like you're being pressured."

He turned his head to look at her, and she reassured him with a smile, which turned out to be what he needed. "I just think you're worth it. I mean, I look at all these other girls and I just see them as hookups. And I did think that about you at first, but then something changed. I don't know why, but it did and it really scared the hell out of me. I told myself I'd get over it, but when I found out you had a boyfriend, I realized I didn't want to. It hurt. A lot. You remember, right? I lied. I ignored you. Then he showed up and I got jealous. I saw how you looked at him and I wanted that. With you. I know he's a good guy, better than me, but I..." He paused, clearing his throat. "I think I could be, too."

She looked down and smiled. It was all she could do. What he said was sweet. She didn't expect that from him. And for him to admit that, she couldn't help but think it. He was asking her to accept him as is, flaws and all, for the time being. He was going to try and be someone she deserved. It was touching. "I, I don't," she began, looking at him. She didn't know how to respond.

Tony looked into her sparkling blue eyes and finally saw a sense of hope in them. His shoulders finally relax and he even smiled back. "You're really cute, too." At that, her cheeks turned a slight pink. "You know that thing about kindergarten crushes? How a kid pulls on the pigtails of the girl he likes?" She nodded. "That's how I feel about you," he finished. Sure, it seemed silly, but the concept worked. It said what he wanted.

"I think you meant playground crushes," Pepper amended. Her tone was light, airy.

"Yeah," he simply replied, a small grin tugging the corner of his lips. "I just like everything about you. Your laugh. Your hair. Your smile. Your freckles." Then he smirked. "Your butt."

"You had to ruin it, didn't you?" Even so, she chuckled. See, that was the thing. His comment wasn't supposed to be funny, it was actually degrading to a certain extent, but it didn't bother her in the slightest bit. If she had asked Robert what he liked about her and if he said 'butt,' she wouldn't be singing the same tune.

"I know what I want," he said, pointing at her. "It's you."

She hated how he could turn this conversation from how it just was to what it is now. It infuriated her. They were back to being serious again. "Tony, I'll...I," she stuttered. "It's not that easy." He was talking about this like he was ordering a burger off a menu, but his eyes told a different story. They were serious, pleading, dark. "I'm practical, responsible. You're not." That wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. "But I do like you." She liked him, that sealed the deal in his mind. "A lot more than I'll admit, but I'm still-"

"Why are you thinking about this," he interrupted. "You don't need to. You're here, aren't you? Isn't that enough?"

She didn't know what to do. She expected him to answer her question, not say all these things, and now that he had, her mind was having trouble processing it all. But she knew one thing. Morgan was right. If she didn't make a decision soon, he'd be gone. Tony wouldn't wait around forever.

"I don't want to do this back and forth stuff." Again, he broke her out of her thoughts. "You told me I didn't have a chance, but then you say I do. Just pick, Pep. Me or him?" He wanted her to say the first name that came to mind because, in reality, that was who she wanted.

"What if I pick you," she finally spoke, which immediately got his attention. "What happens after?" He could see the vast array of emotions in her eyes, and if he had to pick the most prevalent one, it was fear. "What if you get tired of me a couple weeks later?"

He couldn't answer that. He couldn't predict the future. But knowing how he felt, he wouldn't. "If I do, you can push me into the ocean or something. Or call me an idiot for the rest of my life."

"I'll be calling you worse things than idiot if that happens," Pepper retorted.

"Right," Tony agreed. "Then just call me that when I complicate things, forget important dates, and screw stuff up." Which he would. He wouldn't deny it. "I'll try not to though." He realized it was better for them to talk about this now than later. If she had doubts, he wanted to know. They could sort things out, talk about what they could do fix it. He didn't know a thing about relationships, but figured this was the one of the steps to a healthy one.

"I guess I need to talk to Robert then." They were content, but they weren't happy. They were just in different places in their lives. He was working on becoming a doctor and she was still going through the drama associated with high school. She wanted someone on the same page and that someone happened to be Tony. It wasn't the wisest choice, but she'd regret it if she didn't take the chance. Wasn't that what life was all about? Taking risks? Doing things we aren't comfortable with? If he was willing to, she could too. In the grand scheme of it all, she really had nothing to lose. Robert and her would break up. There was no use salvaging something neither considered worth fighting for.

She hadn't expected to be this relieved after saying that. She guessed it had been weighing down on her more than she realized. It was only now she knew she had made the right decision. She waited, holding her breath, hoping he'd say something. A full minute probably passed. "Tony?"

"Really," he finally asked. He couldn't believe it. If he wasn't confined to a hospital room right now, he'd start running down the halls. "I won? Not that it was a contest or anything." Pepper tried her best to not look amused as he tried to back himself out of the corner he'd just put himself in. "Because it wasn't. At all. I think I'm gonna stop talking now." He figured that was the best thing to do.

Pepper chuckled. "You're rambling." He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. It was surprisingly adorable.

"Yeah, I do that sometimes," Tony smiled. "Come here," he quietly said to her, grabbing hold of her hand so he could pull her closer to him. His eyes flicker to her lips as he leaned forward to kiss her.

She angled her head so he kissed her hair instead. With her hands placed gently on his chest, she pushed him back and tried not to wince when she saw a flash of hurt cross his face. She had no reason to feel guilty about what she'd just done, but that didn't help matters. "You have to buy me dinner first."

"Really," he asked, the second time today. The frown on his face was now replaced with a smile, one that matched hers. He repositioned himself so he could face her, never once letting go of her hand while doing so. "Does food from the vending machine count?"

"Are you serious?" From the look on his face, Pepper could tell he was. He was definitely going to be a handful.

"What," Tony asked. He still didn't see anything wrong with it. "I was being considerate. Food from the cafeteria sucks. You should be thanking me." She stayed silent, staring at him; daring him to continue on with his train of thought. He thinned his lips, thinking about it. Okay, maybe it wasn't a good idea, but it wasn't the worst either. He finally surrendered and looked at her with defeat. "Fine." But it didn't mean he agreed, now evident by his pouting expression.

She couldn't help but laugh. "You're such a child."

"No comment," he just said.

"Alright. How about this," Pepper began. She waited until she had his full attention. "If you can get me a bottled ice cold water, I'll let you kiss me."

"Deal." It couldn't be that hard, could it? He could talk his way out of several guards. The reward was worth it. With a smug smile, he got out of bed and walked to the door. Opening it slowly, he peeked out. Good. No one was there. As he predicted.

He got caught a couple steps after. "Hey, back inside! We're not doing this again."

"Don't bother," said someone from behind. "I got it." After a 'yes sir,' the guard left. Gulping, Tony turned and faced his father. "Where were you going?"

"Just getting a drink."

"You have water in your room."

"Yeah, I know. But Pepper wanted something to drink and I said I'd get her one."

"Right." He still wasn't sure about this 'Pepper' girl. "Get back in there and close things up. We need to talk."

Tony knew where this conversation was headed. "I already told the cops what I remember."

"Well, it's not enough."

"Nothing ever is," he mumbled.

"What," Howard asked, daring him to repeat it again.

All of a sudden something inside snapped. "I said nothing ever is," Tony repeated, only this time he wasn't scared. "It's been like this my entire life. Nothing I do is ever good enough, and when I come close, you ride my ass about something else. I almost died." He paused, seeing if his father would speak. "You know that, right? But if finding whoever torched your fucking building is what's important...fine. Cause you know what? I've learned a long time ago to not expect anything from you. I don't know why I thought me nearly dying would change your mind. You haven't even asked me how I'm doing, let alone step foot in my room. You can't possibly hate me that much, right? Because I don't deserve it. I might be a screw up, but there's worse kids out there; you know it."

"Calm down."

"Calm down? Seriously?!" All the pent up anger he had for his father was finally going somewhere; to someone well deserved. "What the hell is wrong with you? Maybe you should have died in that building. I'd be ecstatic to never have to see your face again."

"Anthony, stop." He turned his head to the left, seeing his mother. And Pepper. _Great. _The last thing he wanted is for her to be subject to his family drama. "This isn't home, and you do not talk to your dad like that."

Tony glanced at Howard one last time before relenting.

"If your father says he wants to talk to you, he will."

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Alright. Walk your friend to her car?"

Pepper took that as her cue to move. "Bye, Mrs. Stark." She looked at Howard. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Stark."

"Sorry you had to see that," Tony said, finally turning to look at her. They had walked down the hall, taken the elevator, and were now walking out of the hospital to the parking lot. It had been nothing but silence until now. "I hate him."

"Don't say that," she told him, facing him. She had no idea how strained their relationship was. For Tony to say his father was better off dead, that kind of feeling ran deep. And what he just said? Hating him? He meant it. But she knew what she overheard in the hall. Howard Stark might had only cared about his business, but it wasn't true anymore. Maybe this incident put everything in perspective, like it had her.

"You know there's this saying that the people who are most hardest on you in your life are the ones that care about you the most."

"Pepper, he's not gonna change. Who you saw back there? That's who he is."

"Maybe what happened changed that." She wasn't going to give up. She saw something there. Something that could be fixed.

"Maybe." He did notice Howard's presence almost every day at the hospital, but one honest deed didn't erase fifteen years of nonexistent ones. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." Then he changed the subject. "Sorry I couldn't get you that bottle of water."

She shrugged. "Too bad."

"Yeah, you don't sound that broken up about it," Tony observed. "We'll try again tomorrow?"

Pepper quirked her brow. "Tomorrow?" He smiled and nodded. "I don't know," she pondered. "My schedule looks pretty packed."

"Oh, so coming to see me is a burden," he shot back. "Fine. Don't come. I don't need you. I've got a hot nurse."

"Mhm, right. Have fun then." She wasn't going to be the one to break. If he wanted to hang around hot nurses, he could go ahead. She wasn't going to tell him he couldn't. She wasn't that kind of girl. "Don't forget to ask for a sponge bath."

"Remember you said it." He smiled before looking at her with hopeful eyes. "You weren't serious about not visiting me, right?"

Of course she wasn't. "You really are an idiot." She put her backpack in the car before turning to look at him. "But I think I really am busy tomorrow, so I'll see."

"Busy? Like busy breaking up with Robert?"

"Right. Like busy breaking up with Robert," she confirmed.

He smiled. "Good." It felt like a ton had been lifted off his shoulders. "Text me when that happens, alright? Rhodey needs to streak down the next football game in a thong."

"What," Pepper asked, chuckling.

"Yeah. He said I'd never get you. I told him I could and we bet on it."

"Really?" She couldn't pass up another offer to back Tony into a corner. "I thought you said something about getting me not being a competition."

"It isn't. But, come on, you'd totally go to the game just to watch it."

"I'll definitely be there. I should get going though. Got a dinner party to attend."

"Alright." He didn't know what to do. Should he hug her? He sure as hell couldn't kiss her. Like an idiot, he smiled and waved.

"I'll text you." Pepper unlocked her car door, then hesitated just before getting in. She turned around and walked up to him. "Come here." She gripped his t-shirt and pushed herself up so she could place a soft kiss against his cheek.

"Not where I wanted, but I guess I'll take it."

"Like I said, you have to buy me dinner first." With a wink, she got in her car and drove off.

Tony chuckled as she drove out the parking lot. Besides the argument he had with his father, today was a good day. In fact, one of his best. He finally had Pepper.


	18. Kick Start My Heart

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Pepper answered by default. It was Monday. Another school day. The bell had just rung for lunch, but she couldn't move an inch from her seat, or rather didn't want to move an inch from her seat. "I think I'll pass. Don't feel like eating at the moment."

"Text me if you want anything."

"Thanks." She waited a couple seconds after Kristin left before getting up herself. She heard from one of Tony's friends that he was back at school. She had been too busy over the weekend to check on him, but she did do one thing - she called Robert.

She hadn't expected it to go smoothly, and it hadn't. Robert refused to believe they were done and told her if they were, she'd break up with him in person and not over the phone. There wasn't a road that'd lead them back to how they once were and she had to make sure he was aware of that.

"I can't believe you came here. You have a lot of work to catch up on."

"Don't worry about that."

"I am," Pepper responded with a matter of fact tone. "I don't want your grades slipping because of me."

"I'm not gonna let you throw away everything we have for someone like him."

"For the last time," she said with nearly gritted teeth. "I'm not breaking up with you for anyone. I'm breaking up with you because I want to."

"Where is this coming from? When I left, we were fine. We even made plans for Thanksgiving."

"I know." Her voice softened. "It's just that I've been thinking a lot about us. Believe it all you want, but we're not fine."

"Okay, so we're not fine," Robert admitted. "But that doesn't mean we have to break up. I know we've been fighting more than usual, but what couple doesn't? It's just a brick in the road. Let's talk things over before we decide anything. I haven't been there for you, I know that, but I'm honestly working on it. This long distance thing's just as hard on me as it is on you." He sighed, calming himself down. "You wanted me to stand up to my dad, I did. You wanted space, I backed off. You wanted to hold off sex, I understood. You wanted to stay friends with him, I kept quiet about it. If all that doesn't tell you how much I'm invested in our relationship, I don't know what will."

"I know you are. I'd never question that. What I'm saying is that it isn't enough." She was tired of fighting, but something told her their fight had just started. "We're at different places in our lives. It's too hard to make things work."

"That's because you've already given up," he shot back, disdain in his voice. "I overheard Morgan and Emma talking the other day. You kissed him."

"No, he kissed me," she corrected.

"It doesn't matter! You should had pushed him away the instant he did! What else have you done with him?"

"Nothing," Pepper shouted. He could yell at her all he wanted, but she drew the line on insinuations. She was angry, but most of all, hurt. She'd never cheat and he knew that. She wasn't that kind of girl.

"You don't have to lie to me. I know everything." Robert straightened up and walked towards her until he was in her personal space. "I knew something was up when I came over."

"You mean the weekend of my birthday? He was sleeping! He-" She cut herself off. She wasn't going to explain herself to him. "If you think that, fine." It was all the more reason their split was inevitable. "I don't care. Just go. You're getting really good at it."

"So you can go running to him," he asked, his voice raised. He couldn't help it. His fears concerning just how close the two of them had gotten were rising to the surface. "I don't think so. I saw him once I got here. You know what he was doing? Flirting. He left with her."

"And why would I care?" She kept her voice stern, as if his comment hadn't affected her...but it did. Had Tony really gone out with some other girl? She thought they reached an understanding. What was he doing?

"Because that's who you're throwing this away for: a guy who will never give a fuck about you. He might say all the right things, but it's an act. Don't fall for it."

"See? This is what I'm talking about! You don't trust me."

"I do trust you. I don't trust him."

"You wouldn't had came all the way down here if you did."

"What happened to him was horrible, but I'm not going to let him twist his situation into an advantage. He needs to know when to back off. I'll make sure of it."

"Robert, we're over." She was going to stand firm on her decision. "It's my choice. Not yours. Not his. It's mine. And it's final."

"Not his." He let out a nervous chuckle. "Right."

Pepper crossed her arms and stared at him pointedly. "It's not," she repeated, even more blunt this time. It was her choice to give Tony a chance. He didn't guilt, bully, or manipulate her into it...but Robert would never see it that way.

When Tony heard Pepper's voice in the parking lot, he glanced around to see where she was. However, when he saw her, a smile didn't cross his face. He noticed Robert standing there. He looked back at Pepper and saw how uncomfortable she looked, how much she wanted to leave.

"Let her go."

"Great," Robert scoffed, seeing Tony in front of him. "Just mind your own business."

Pepper looked around and saw Tony and a couple other students staring at them. She didn't want to cause a scene, especially now that he was involved. "I don't like this side of you." Jealously brought out the worst in people. Robert had never treated her this way in the three years she'd known him.

"Yeah, well, I don't like this side of you either. You're taking his side on everything."

"When have I ever done that?" She waited for his response, but when he kept silent she looked at him with righteous indignation. "That's what I thought."

"You might not have actually done it while I'm around, but don't lie and tell me you haven't." He turned to look at Tony, his eyes cold. "Why are you still here? Is sleeping with my girlfriend not enough?"

"What the hell is wrong with you," Pepper yelled. Then she kept her voice steady and glared at him. "I didn't sleep with him and you know it."

Robert let out another humorless laugh. "I don't believe you."

"Yeah, I lied about that," Tony spoke up. "Felt like it, I guess. And Pepper's my girlfriend now, so get the hell out of here."

_Pepper's HIS girlfriend? _Did he just hear him right? "What are you talking about?"

"Tony," Pepper warned.

She wanted to say something else, but he beat her to it. "Yeah, we worked things out." He walked closer to Robert and smirked. "She's mine now."

"You can't be serious," Robert said. He turned to look at Pepper. "Tell me he's joking."

"He's not," Tony answered instead.

Pepper looked over at him, silently urging him to stop.

"Did you get a brain injury in that explosion or something? Because there's no way Pepper would agree to be your girlfriend. She's not interested in the playboy, cheating type."

Tony caught her stare, then many others too. He didn't care about them. "You didn't break things off with him," he asked, his voice calm. "You said you would."

Robert looked at her, shocked at what he just heard. "Pepper," he started.

"I said we're over," Pepper repeated. "All you're doing is making it worse."

"I, I...I don't even know what to say." He stared at her, biting his tongue.

"Just go, okay?" Her tone had softened and she was staring at him pleadingly. "I can't do this right now. Everyone's staring at us," she told him, looking around.

"Fine," Robert relented. If he had any shot of her staying with him, he'd have to know when to give up. "I'll be at your house. My flight's at seven."

Pepper watched him leave, a mixture of anger, sympathy, and hurt in her eyes.

She closed her eyes and rid her thoughts before looking at Tony. "He shouldn't had said those things to you."

Tony shrugged.

Silence fell before them, neither knowing what to say. Should she apologize for not visiting him? Should he apologize for intruding in on their conversation?

_Maybe she wants some time alone. _"I'm gonna go."

Pepper thought for a moment before she nodded in disagreement. "How about we talk things over instead?" She smiled, hoping to lower the seriousness of the conversation about to come. She had to make sure they were on the same page in terms of a potential relationship.

He nodded back. "Just let me get my drinks." He went back to his Audi and returned with two smoothies. "It's Rhodey's, but..." He shrugged. "No strawberries. You're allergic, right?"

_He remembered. _That made her smile.

"See," he asked, handing the drink to her. "I can be a good boyfriend."

Pepper scoffed.

"So what did you want to talk about," Tony asked as they came to a stop in the middle of a quad. This one was more deserted than others since it was furthest away from campus and that made this the perfect place for them to talk privately and without any interruptions.

He was nervous. He had no idea what she was going to talk to him about. Had she changed her mind? The walk here took forever. It felt like hours. But again, he was nervous. He wanted this conversation over with as soon as possible. He thought about saying something to her, but couldn't find the words. _I'm sorry? _No. He had no reason to. He didn't say anything wrong. They agreed to a relationship, so he had every right to call her his girlfriend. _Girlfriend._ A smirk crossed his lips. He liked the sound of that.

"Where were you?"

Tony furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What?" The question caught him off guard. "Uh, I went out to lunch."

"With?"

"A friend."

"Robert said he saw you guys flirting." Part of her wanted to believe Robert lied, but it was so Tony's M.O. that she let the notion cross her mind.

"Pepper, I didn't." Everything clicked. "She was just being nice...which was the wrong thing to say," he pointed out, seeing the look on her face. "She's not even like that. I tried a long time ago. Michelle is straight up Christian."

"Really," Pepper asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Really." Tony grabbed her hand and smiled at her. "Jealous, Pep?"

She tugged her hand back. She did not find his comment amusing.

"Sorry," he apologized. She was serious about this and he had to be too. He pressed his lips together as he tried to get himself out of the pit he had put himself in. "She was boring and I wanted her to be this other girl I know."

Pepper tried not to smile, but did.

"So you're not mad," Tony asked, stepping closer to her. "I don't like it when you're mad."

She looked at him and thought about it. Her immediate thought was that this was how it was going to be like. Girls followed him wherever he went and any girl that dared to be in a relationship with him would have to put up with it. Would she? Maybe until the jealously, anger, and frustration caught up to her. And then there was the fact that he could be tempted with one of them. What would she do then?

"This thing we're doing," Pepper began, her voice quiet, afraid to an extent. "How serious are you about it? I want to be sure."

He knew what she was thinking and he couldn't blame her for it. He was a playboy. Plain and simple. He tried not to sound too offended. "I meant everything I said but...I get it. From the outside, it sounds stupid, right? A guy that's avoided relationships his entire life suddenly wants one? Is he serious?" He cleared his throat and grabbed her hand again, rubbing it gently before looking back up. "I am. This means a lot to me."

She needed to hear that. She felt better; more sure of her decision. She let Tony pull her into a hug and smiled into his chest.

"Not to ruin the moment or anything," Tony tread lightly.

"Then don't," Pepper mumbled.

He closed his mouth and smiled. He could get used to having her in his arms. He tightened his grip on her and waited until she was ready to let go.

"So now that you're officially my girlfriend, does that mean I get to kiss you?"

Pepper shook her head and walked off to hide the smile on her face. She wanted to kiss him, badly, but there was just something about waiting until their first date that got her heart fluttering. "I remember saying you had to buy me dinner first."

"Right. Dinner." He twisted his lips, thinking about it. He wanted that kiss and he wanted it now...so he picked up his pace and stopped in front of her, making her stop dead in her tracks too. "I don't wanna wait that long."

Without another word, Tony closed the gap between them. She looked up at him with a raised brow, amused by the situation. As much as she didn't want him kissing her, she couldn't bring herself to stop him. "Kissing on the first date is for losers."

"Well, at least that loser would get a second date," she shot back.

He looked Pepper in the eyes as his lips smiled gently. "I'll risk it."

"You could kiss me on the cheek."

"Second graders do that."

"And you're not a second grader?"

Tony smirked. He liked when she teased him. "Well, not physically." His lips met hers in a gentle kiss. It was all he wanted from her until instinct took over. Her gasp muffled into the kiss and her initial shock turned into one of pure happiness. His head tilted to the side to deepen the kiss. She smiled against his lips and swung her arm around his neck, returning his kiss with similar force. The grip he had on her tightened until he had to break apart for air.

"That was so hot," he told her, pulling his head back as far as she would allow him.

Pepper ducked her head to hide the flush of pink rising to her cheeks, but he stopped her. "What," she heard him say. He traced his hands from where they sat to her shoulders. "Oh, that's cute." There was a sparkle in his eyes as a sly smile crossed his lips.

"What," she asked, looking at him.

"You're embarrassed."

"Shut up."

Tony smirked. "I like it."

Without hesitation, she stepped back to hit him lightly on the chest.

"That hurt," he cried.

"Then don't make fun of me."

His fingers reached up and falsely rubbed the point of impact. "You're mean."

Pepper shrugged innocently. "You deserved it." She extracted herself from his arms. "Come on. The bell rang."

"Already?"

She nodded, then chuckled when she saw a disappointed look cross his face.

"That was 50 minutes?"

"Yep. You're not upset, right?"

"No," he lied. Truth was, he was. Not that he was even hiding it. He hadn't spoken to Pepper in days and lunch was over? This wasn't fair. He wanted to spend more time with her. "Let's go out tonight."

"You mean like a date," Pepper asked, glancing at him with a quirked brow as they made their way to campus.

"Yeah." He hadn't actually thought of it like that, but sure. He could do this.

"Then ask."

"Whoa, what?"

Pepper couldn't help but laugh at his sudden state of confusion. "If you want to go on a date, you're gonna have to ask me."

He stopped in his tracks. "But didn't we-"

She shook her head. "Not until you ask."

"Fine," he blurted out. He was Tony Stark. He could do this. Then why did it feel so hard? "This is stupid," he said instead.

"Fine. See you in seventh period."

"Okay, wait!" He grabbed her hand. "Just let me..." He sighed. He couldn't believe he was this nervous about asking her out. His heart was beating faster than possible and stalling was making it worse. "Will you go on a date with me," he quickly asked.

Pepper, who had been amused the entire duration, smiled. A bit of sweating, stammering, and flustering would do him good. "Of course. Was that so hard?"

"It's not funny."

"It is to me," Pepper teased, starting towards campus again.

Tony frowned, then changed the subject. "Anything particular you wanna do tonight?"

They came to a stop in front of her classroom and Pepper shook her head. "I don't care what we do." And she didn't. "Just be yourself." Dating was new to him; she didn't want him to think expectations were involved. "Whatever you think of, it'll be fine. I'm spending it with you. That's all I care about."

"You might regret saying that." Nonetheless, he smiled. She knew him too well. "I'll pick you up at eight then." He didn't know where he was going to take her or what they were going to do...but he did know one thing. He was going to give her the best date she ever went on.


	19. Take Her Heart Away

"Shit," Tony muttered as he came out the bathroom. He had just taken a shower and was now rushing into his closet to find something to wear. "JARVIS?"

"8:21. You should had left 38 minutes ago."

He rolled his eyes and glanced at the ceiling. "Shut up. You're not my mom."

JARVIS continued. "I tried to warn you of the time."

"Fine. It's my fault. You can stop bragging about it."

He looked through his clothes disappointed that he couldn't find anything to wear. Almost as if his AI knew, he spoke. "It's currently 65 degrees."

"Thanks." He put on a black bomber jacket and headed downstairs. Now all he had to do was figure out where he was going to take Pepper. He'd been bouncing ideas off JARVIS, but didn't get far. She said she didn't care where they went or what they did, but he did. He wanted to show her a good time and make a good impression.

"What about sushi?"

"I would consider rethinking that."

Tony bit back his response to the pretentious attitude he swore JARVIS was wearing.

"Might I suggest coffee?"

He waved the idea off and walked out the door. "Seriously? You're useless, you know that? Remind me to reprogram you once I get back. You need major work."

* * *

><p>"Pepper, you haven't even touched your food," Victoria said as she came to a stop in front of her daughter at the kitchen table.<p>

"I'm not hungry," she replied, pushing her plate forward. "Can I just go upstairs?"

"Is this about Robert?"

_No, it's about Tony. _It was 8:46 and he still hadn't shown up or even texted her he'd be running late. "No, it's not that, mom."

"I can't believe you guys broke up," her mother replied.

"I don't want to talk about it," Pepper responded. And she didn't. Robert was surprisingly understanding and said he wouldn't get in the way if this was what she wanted. They said their goodbyes at the airport, tears in their eyes, and told each other they'd keep in touch. Robert was one of her best friends and she couldn't let that go; neither did he. The only thing she looked forward to on this shit day was Tony. She was counting on him to make her forget about everything, but he had yet to make an appearance and her patience was already thin as is.

She had curled her hair, put make up on, and had picked out a black trench coat that ran mid-thigh and matched her black boots and white jeans. She had three minutes to spare and spent the time looking out her window anxious but excited for their date. She stopped a quarter past eight and gave up on the idea he was coming fifteen minutes after.

Victoria sighed and left the kitchen. She hated seeing her children like this, but it was the process of growing up - for them both. Her kids had to make their own decisions, right or wrong, and deal with the consequences.

"Look, I know I'm beyond late...but I have a good excuse."

She stared at the person in front of her. Tony Stark was on her doorstep. She'd prepared herself for this very situation, but everything conveniently disappeared.

"You're not Pepper."

"No," she agreed, slipping into her role. "I'm her mother. Is there something I can help you with?"

Tony straightened out his posture and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I...uh-"

"Mom, don't scare him."

He closed his eyes and thanked God for Pepper's perfect timing.

"I barely said anything."

He gulped when he was left alone with her mother again. _Here we go_, he thought as she walked out the door and closed it behind her.

"I won't pretend to like you because I don't. You're everything I don't want for my daughter, but she insists you're being entirely serious about this so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. Make me regret it and I'll never let you see her again."

"Okay," he said, looking her in the eyes. He wanted to elaborate, stick up for himself, but was cut off.

"I want her home by 11:30. And not a second later than that."

He nodded just as Pepper was walking out. As soon as they locked eyes, he smiled. "Hi."

Pepper smiled back and continued past them saying, "Let's go."

"Have fun," Victoria yelled. "And please don't stay out too late."

"Don't worry," she replied. "I'll be back before curfew." With that, Tony reversed his car and drove off.

* * *

><p>"There," Tony said, pointing with his free hand and dragging Pepper with his other.<p>

"Didn't you say you weren't good at these kind of games," she asked as they came to a stop in front of the basket toss.

"Yeah, but I want to get you that."

Pepper looked at the shelves atop the game and saw the oversized elephant she wanted several games ago. She tried winning one back at the balloon darts, but failed. The game was rigged. The darts were dull.

"I saw you playing for it when I was in line buying tickets," Tony smiled. He turned to the dealer and pointed to the stuffed animal. "What do I have to do to get that?"

"You gotta make all five of them in."

Pepper stood back and watched as his first attempt at the game failed. Two out of five. She kept quiet when he tried a second time. And the third...fourth...fifth. She finally had enough after that. "Tony, it's okay. I didn't really want it."

He glanced at her sideways and said nothing before starting for another game. He was determined to win this. It wasn't just about Pepper now. He wasn't going to let some stupid game beat him.

"Another," the woman behind the booth asked.

"Yeah. Keep it coming," Tony said as he tried again. It was easier to get the ball inside by throwing it along the edge of the basket. He couldn't hit the backboard. The ball would just retain its velocity and bounce out. He had let his frustration get to him, but once he calmed down and took a deep breath, that was when he got it. He made every single shot the next game and there was a gigantic smile on his face when he was handed his prize. He walked over to Pepper and grinned when he saw the way her eyes were lighting up. _And she said she didn't want it._

"But I don't want to go on it," he complained as Pepper came to a stop in the line for the Ferris Wheel.

"But we have ten tickets left."

"Let's just go on the pirate ship again," Tony said instead. "That was fun. This..." He glanced up and frowned. "...isn't. We could get thrown into the ocean."

Pepper shook her head. "That can happen on that ride, too."

"Nope. Gravity will propel us forward."

"Come on, you're holding up the line."

Tony groaned and followed as she moved up. "You do remember I'm the one that got you the elephant you're holding, right?"

"I said I didn't want it."

"Then someone should have told your face that," he mumbled.

"It'll be fun," Pepper replied with a smile.

"Pep, come on." He looked nervously at the Ferris Wheel again. "Don't make me."

"You made me ride U.F.O. when I didn't want to."

"And that was the wrong thing to do. I shouldn't have done that."

"You can save the apologies for later." She came up to the front entrance and handed over their tickets before taking a seat in one of the gondolas, Tony trailing behind.

He sat next to Pepper and warily peeked over her shoulder. "I hate you," he simply said as he leaned back to rest his head. "Tell me when it's over." Once he felt the gears moving below him, he closed his eyes and tried to think of anything but his current situation.

He stayed in position until he felt her arm wrap loosely around his. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around. It wasn't so bad now that he thought about it. It was actually calming to a certain extent. He glanced at Pepper and scooted closer to her, wrapping the arm she'd been holding around her shoulder and looking out the window himself. The pier was lit up from the rides to the booths to the food stands. Then there was Malibu: the streets, freeways, buildings.

"That's my house."

Pepper glanced at him briefly before looking out the window again. "Where?"

"There," Tony said, pointing at it. "It's on that rocky cliff, and on the right of it is a building that's lit up in the shape of a triangle inside a rectangle."

"Oh, I see it," she responded seconds later.

He laughed at her excitement. Pepper returned to looking at the view and he was beginning to wonder why it was taking so long. He hated thinking it, but he was bored. Drumming his fingers against his pants, he came up with an idea. He brushed her hair to the side and kissed her neck. The contact was enough to elicit a response from her. She shifted and turned to face him.

"What are you doing," she asked, laughing softly.

He shrugged, an innocent expression on his face. "Why'd you put your hair down?"

"What? You don't like it?"

"No, I do," Tony quickly said. "It's just different. Kinda used to seeing it up and all," he gestured with his fingers.

Pepper hummed in acknowledgement and breathed in as his hand went to her hair and behind her neck. She leaned forward at his pull and closed her eyes. His kiss was soft, gentle...almost as if he was testing the water. He broke it off, but immediately kissed her again when she didn't object. He tugged her lip and used his hold on her to reel her in. A sensation coursed through her body as his tongue swept her bottom lip seeking entrance. She grabbed his shirt and leaned back against the glass window taking him with her and happily deepening the kiss.

She pulled away slowly to the sound of Tony groaning. It was getting a bit heated and out of hand for her liking. "You're gonna leave a mark."

"Just one more then."

He leaned in for another kiss but she was quick to dodge.

"You just want to make out," Pepper said bluntly. Then she smiled. "That's like for the sixth date."

Complete utter shock crossed Tony's face. "Sixth?"

She laughed at his expression. "No, I was kidding. Third."

"You honestly just gave me a heart attack."

She rolled her eyes at his overdramatic response and turned around to look out the gondola again.

"Just so you know," Pepper warned, turning to look at him. "If you decide to toss me into the water, you'll never get a third date." All the rides had closed for the night and he had brought up the beach. She objected, saying she wasn't in the right clothes, but he'd been adamant on coming down here.

"Pepper, I said I wouldn't."

"And I'm saying I don't believe you." Tony had been talking about getting revenge for making him go on the Ferris Wheel and she was certain he'd go through it. She bent down and picked a conch off the ocean floor. "And if they're as limited as you say they are, I don't think you would have gone down here with them on, so - ah," Pepper yelled, feeling cold water splash across her back. She turned and saw Tony there with a devilish smile on his face. "What the hell was that for?!"

He just shrugged as if he'd done nothing wrong.

"I can't believe I thought you were being nice by offering to hold my jacket," Pepper said, glaring at him. She watched as he bent down again. "Don't even think about it." Cautiously, she started making her way back to shore, eyes locked on him to make sure there'd be no sudden movements.

"You didn't say I couldn't do that."

"It's not funny," Pepper told him as he copied her every movement.

"But I want to show you something."

"Yeah, right."

"No, seriously, I found one of those hermit crabs. Come here."

She looked at him for a good thirty seconds before slowly deciding to walk over to where he was at. Two could play at this game and she was going to win.

"You have to come closer than that," Tony said as Pepper came to a stop inches from him.

"Fine." She walked to him and grabbed hold of his arm. She stood on her toes pretending to get a look at it and once she felt like Tony thought she was actively trying to find the "hermit crab," she quickly put both her hands on the bottom of his and pushed forward so his face came in contact with his palm.

He spit the water out and used his shirt to wipe away the sand stuck on his tongue. "I can't believe you did that," he said in shock. "There's sand in my mouth."

Pepper couldn't stop laughing as she watched his ministrations. It was definitely worth remembering; she took out her phone to capture it. "I told you not to do it. And a hermit crab? Really? It's dark out. How would you even find one?"

"At least I wasn't trying to be sneaky about it."

She shrugged her shoulders and innocently replied, "I don't know what you're talking about." She started walking up the beach towards the parking lot.

"Forget it," Tony said. Once she turned to look at him, he smiled.

"No, don't." She knew what he wanted to do. She didn't even have to ask.

"You're going down, Pep."

"I'll throw your shoes in the water."

"I can just get a new pair."

"I'm wearing white pants."

"Don't care." He teased her by walking up a bit, which made her take the same amount of steps back. "I'll be nice and give you a head start."

Taking that to her advantage, she ran off. He smiled and watched Pepper go. On ten, he ran after her down the water's edge. It took him thirty seconds to catch up and wrap his arms around her.

His hands skate across her stomach, causing laughter to fill the air. "Gotcha." She tried squirming her way out of his arms and he couldn't help but laugh at her failing. He held her in place, then scooped her up more than ready to follow through his ultimatum.

"Tony! Stop," she screamed just as he was about to drop her.

He tilted her even more and she responded by grabbing onto his shirt. "I'm not the one afraid to get wet, Pep."

Pepper let go in frustration and yelled out some more as he walked further into the water. But after teasing her awhile longer, he finally decided to let her go. She smiled triumphantly when he put her down. The instant her foot hit the ground, she took off. He shook her head and watched her go once again. Tonight turned out better than he could ever imagine.

* * *

><p>Tony pulled his Audi onto her driveway and turned off the ignition. As much as he didn't want the night to end, he knew it had to. There was always a next time.<p>

"So when is your curfew?"

"1:00," Pepper answered.

"1:00?"

She nodded. "That's why I was asking if you wanted to get something to eat. It's only eleven."

"Oh," he muttered. "You had a good time, right?"

"For the tenth time," Pepper said, turning to face him as they reached the front porch. "Yeah."

"I just want to be sure."

Pepper smiled. "I had lots of fun. I mean, you won me this," she said, pointing to her stuffed elephant. "You went on every ride I wanted to go on, we ate junk food, took pictures, went walking down the beach..." She trailed off and smiled. "Quit worrying."

He shook his head. "But I was still late. I should have texted you or something, but I completely forgot."

"You were spending time with your dad."

"Yeah." It surprised him more than anyone. He had come back from school and came across his father fixing up the roadster in the workshop. He remembered seeing the car as a kid and wanting to know more about it because of the flames decorated on the sides. "He was teaching me what certain parts were for and then he brought up school and how he felt about the accident." He paused for a minute and drifted his gaze thinking about what he'd just said. It was the first time in a long time he actually remembered having his dad caring and wanting to know about him.

"You could've cancelled. I wouldn't had minded."

"But I wanted you to know I'm serious about this. Bailing out on the first date kinda-"

"Shows the exact opposite. I get it," she replied.

"Yeah, and I really am sorry about that though."

She leaned in to give him a kiss and a warm smile crossed his lips when he pulled back. "I can't come in?"

"Wow, first date and you're already thinking about that."

"No, that's not what I meant," he quickly said. Even if sex was on his mind, he knew he couldn't jump that ahead. Pepper deserved to be treated differently. "I just thought you had to be back by midnight because of school and all."

"No. But my mom said you had to bring me back around eleven, didn't she?"

"11:30," Tony corrected. "She hates me, right?"

"She doesn't hate you. She's just not your biggest fan."

"Because I'm not what she wants for you," Tony said, repeating her mother's words.

Pepper nodded and sat down on the porch swing. "I wouldn't care too much about it. She didn't even like Robert at first."

"Why?"

"Because he asked her where he should take me on our first date."

Tony laughed, not believing what he'd just heard.

"Yeah. And that wasn't the worst of it. He ended up taking me to a coffee shop."

"So coffee's a bad idea," Tony slowly said. _Knew it.  
><em>

"It's not that it is, it's just that we're not like thirty. Why," Pepper asked, noticing the look on his face. "Did you think about taking me there?"

"JARVIS suggested it. He said it was number one in Dating for Dummies."

This time she was the one that couldn't stop laughing.

"Everything closed or was about to and I didn't want to just give up and take you to the movies, so I thought of the carnival."

Pepper smiled. "I'm glad you did."

Tony nodded, then shifted gears. "You don't have to answer this, but it's just been on my mind since I picked you up." He took a brief pause, then asked, "What happened with Robert?"

"Oh," Pepper quietly said. "Nothing," she answered. She still wasn't in the mood to talk about it. "He was ready to leave by the time I got home, so I drove him to the airport and he left. Don't worry about him. He's not coming back."

"You kinda sound sad about it."

She glared at him. "Kinda? Like I don't have a right to be?"

Tony squirmed in his seat. "Uh...no?" _Oh_, s_hit__. _He did not mean for it to come off like that.

"Sorry," Pepper apologized. "I just don't want to talk about it right now. It's difficult."

"Yeah, my bad. I won't ask ever again," he said, reassuring her. "But you have me, right?"

She cast her head down and smiled. Leave it to Tony to make everything about him again.

"I'm kidding." He repositioned his body and scooted closer until they were hip-to-hip; then he nudged her with his shoulder.

Pepper laughed at his action and playfully responded back. Even though she wanted to stay out here with him, she knew she had to go in and get ready for bed. "I'm gonna go in," she said, standing up. "It's getting late."

"Okay," he replied, rising to his feet. He kissed her on the cheek and walked down the steps to his car. Pepper stood by the door until he left. Once he was gone, she picked up her belongings and smiled.

After a shower, she was ready to call it a night. She made herself comfortable in bed and grabbed her phone to reply any last minute messages. She had a couple from Morgan asking about her date. She had one from Robert telling her he had arrived home safely. And she had one from Tony: _**Don't miss me too much :)**_

* * *

><p><strong>So did you guys enjoy date night? Was it what you imagined? <strong>


	20. Think It All Through

"Too bad, Platypus. You lost. Be a man about it."

"I never said I would."

"Yeah, you did," Tony responded, a grin on his face as he glanced at his friend.

Rhodey sighed. "Tony, I was kidding."

"Doesn't matter. Get some nair or something while you're out."

"I am not streaking down the football field in a thong. There's no way in hell."

"Uh, we had a deal." He stopped in the middle of the hall. "I can get JARVIS to send you proof if you want."

"Dude, I can't."

"Do it at the party tonight then."

"How many times do I have to say it? I'm not-"

"Which one's less embarrassing?"

"How do I know you're not lying? I mean, you and Pepper? Really? Just saying it is unbelievable."

"I'm with Pepper," he reaffirmed. "I even made out with her."

Rhodey raised his hand to stop him from talking. "TMI, Tony."

"We're on a Ferris Wheel and its-"

"Okay! I believe you. Just stop talking, alright?"

Tony smiled triumphantly and in the corner of his eye saw Pepper walking out of class. _Great. _"You need to wear it the entire night to count though." He'd just gotten out of Calculus with Rhodey with five minutes left until fifth period. Their date was four days ago and he was already excited for the one coming up and the one after that, especially the one after that.

"Boo!"

Pepper jumped and turned around. Her eyes were closed and she let out a deep breath. "Why do you always do that to me?"

"Because it's hilarious," he replied with a smile. "I waited until you got your stuff out this time so you can't yell at me for it."

"So I should thank you?"

"You don't have to, but-"

"Don't hold your breath."

Tony shrugged, he wasn't expecting one anyways, and leaned in until their lips met softly. She smiled and returned the kiss feeling his hands settle on her hips as hers travelled up his chest to the collar of his shirt.

"Get a room," someone close by said.

Surprised by the outburst, Pepper broke the kiss and turned towards the voice. From his letterman and physique, the guy was one of Tony's friends.

Tony laughed and shook Brad's hand. "Shouldn't you be at practice?"

"Yeah, I'm heading over. Look, I just want to tell you I was against this whole thing from the start. Coach needed a replacement and I ended up being chosen."

"No, it's fine." As part of his recovery, he had to stay away from strenuous activity for six months, which meant giving up sports. He was upset he had to, was mad there wasn't another choice, but he wasn't going to blame his teammates for it. "But don't get too comfortable. I'm taking it back next season."

Brad chuckled. "Got it." Then he left.

"Come on," Tony said, grabbing Pepper's hand. "Bell's gonna ring. I know you hate being late and all."

"I don't hate being late. I'd just rather not get detention."

He glanced at her sideways as they turned down the hall. "It'll be fun. We can guess how long it takes for Stampher to figure out his glasses have been on his head the entire time."

"I don't get why you just won't tell him."

"Because he gives me this stare like I hid it from him or something."

"He's old."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," Tony protested.

Pepper chuckled and shook her head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in. He continued walking her to class and together they argued over little things the rest of the way.

* * *

><p>"Why didn't you tell me you quit soccer?"<p>

"Cause it wasn't important," Tony said, hoping it'd convince her just as much as he had convinced Brad. He had said 'it's fine,' but that been far from the truth. Aside from loving the sport, he also used it as an outlet. "It's not like I've been kicked off the team or anything." Whenever he was mad at something, Howard, he'd go out on the field and kick the ball around until most of it passed. Now he couldn't and had no place to channel it to...but this was his problem; not hers.

"Okay," Pepper quietly responded. She nodded and shot him a soft smile. She knew he didn't like talking about his life, he dismissed it each time she had asked, and it was alright. He'd learn to trust her eventually.

Tony returned her smile and picked up the pace again, glad she dropped the topic. "So there's a party tonight. Want to come?"

She shook her head, but before she could get a word out he spoke. "Just go to this one; try it out. You might end up liking it."

"I've been to parties before. I just don't understand-"

"Tony!"

Truth be told, he was getting tired of people coming up to him and asking if he was alright or not. He appreciated their "concern," but seriously? Interrupting him when he was clearly in the middle of something? Who he saw once he turned around didn't help matters: two girls from the cheerleading team decked out in red sports bras and matching skin tight shorts.

"I'm in the middle of something. What do you want?"

Pepper took a quick look at them and sighed inwardly. She did not want to deal with this. Not ever.

"We were looking everywhere for you," said the one on the left. "Who's she?"

"Why are you guys staring at her like that," Tony asked instead. He was well aware of the social ladder that ran high school and on the bottom rung was Pepper. It didn't sit well with the popular girls that he was spending all his attention on her.

"Nothing. It's just that no one gets why you're chasing after her so hard. She has nothing to offer."

Sure they had flirted with each other in the past, maybe even swapped spit, but there was no way he was going to let Taylor off the hook for what she just said.

"Like you do?"

"More than her," she told him, not backing down.

Tony knew how rude girls like her could be. They bullied anyone below them just because they could. He was hoping her words hadn't gotten to Pepper, and not surprisingly, they hadn't. If anything, Pepper was mad. Her eyes were dark blue, dangerous to an extent. _Remind me to not get on her bad side, _he told himself as he stared back and forth between the ladies.

She wasn't going to let some cheerleader have the pleasure of putting her in her 'place.' She could keep dreaming. "If you have something to say, say it to my face."

A scoff came out of Taylor's lips. "You think Tony's going to stay with you once he gets what he wants? He won't. Don't kid yourself thinking you'll be different."

"You know what," Pepper said as she took a step forward. "I'd rather be nothing than be his bitch."

"Ohhh," Tony called out. That was the last thing he expected to come out her mouth. His eyes flicker to Taylor and he snickered at the outraged expression on her face. _Did Pepper just provoke a fight? _He wasn't going to stop it if she had.

"I mean, that's what are you are, isn't it? You follow him around like some dog trying to get his attention. He tells you to get lost and you come running back sometime later with something you think will change his mind. It'd be sad if it weren't so pathetic."

Taylor turned to Tony, who was still shocked about everything coming out Pepper's mouth. "You're gonna let her talk to me like that," she venomously asked.

"Um..." He trailed off, speechless. Of course he was on his girlfriend's side, but at this second he was at a loss of words. This whole confrontation was ridiculous.

"All we're saying is that you're in a crowd she isn't part of," said the other cheerleader finally. "It's kind of social suicide."

Now that rubbed him the wrong way. "And you think I care about that?" He never did and he never will. He was who he was, screw what other people thought. "I'm not with her because she has something I want. I'm with her because I like her. Get that in your guys' brain and tell everyone else that."

Taylor didn't believe him and dared to eye Pepper down with a dirty attitude. "She has something on you. Doesn't she?"

"Back the hell off," Tony said in a tone that surprised all three girls. He was tired of this, of her. His stare turned cold. "I'm not fucking around."

Silence filled the space between them. He was relieved when Taylor and everyone else that had gathered around walked off. "Come on, let's get out of here," he told Pepper.

She nodded and followed his lead thinking about what'd just happened. _What came over me? _She didn't even realize she had that kind of fierceness in her. She'd been getting a couple dirty looks ever since Tony stood up for her against Robert, but didn't think too much of it. It was clear this girl wanted him, was jealous he didn't end up with her. That aside, she was incredibly proud. She stood up for herself.

"You alright," Tony asked.

"Yeah. It's just that I don't remember what I said," she told him. "It just came out."

An amused smile crossed his face. "You said she was my bitch." She halted and looked at Tony in shock. "Then she had this expression on like she shit her pants or something."

"I seriously said that?"

"Yeah," Tony chuckled.

"Great," she sarcastically said. "I'm on her hit list."

"Hey, don't worry about that," he replied, softening his tone. "She's not going to bother you."

"But other people will."

"Uh, other people," he asked, not believing what he'd just heard.

"It's nothing," Pepper waved off.

"No," he said, not letting this go. "What? This isn't the first time someone's come up to you?"

"Tony, you're overreacting. It's high school; drama's included."

He ignored her. "Who?"

"Who," Pepper repeated. She was wishing she hadn't said anything.

"Yeah," he said a matter of factly.

"Tony, I can handle it."

"Answer my question."

Pepper sighed at his irrational behavior. "It's just that ever since we got together people have been looking at me different. Guys like you aren't supposed to date girls like me. They're supposed to date the cheerleaders, volleyball players...but no one's giving me a hard time, alright? And if someone was, it's not something I can't handle. I'm not useless."

He shot her an apologetic look. "I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want people giving you trouble. You don't deserve it."

She knew where he was coming from but he couldn't protect her from everyone and him wanting to do so made her smile.

"What are you smiling about?"

"You," Pepper said, staring at him. "Standing up for me."

"Really," he growled hotly, closing the gap between them. He'd never admit it, but hearing Pepper chew Taylor out in front of everyone had turned him on a bit.

"Gross," said a voice behind them.

Tony couldn't believe this. "Seriously?" They'd been interrupted three times today.

Pepper moved aside and let her brother get into the driver's seat. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah."

She looked over at Tony apologetically.

"No," he frowned. "One more second."

Pepper chuckled and followed him off to the side.

"So this party tonight is literally across the street from where you live."

"Still not going."

"But, Pep...please?"

"The more you ask the more I think you want me there so you can get me drunk."

"Getting drunk is fun," Tony pointed out.

"Uh huh," Pepper played along.

"But that's not what I'm doing. Promise."

"I'll think about it."

He smiled. "Great."

"That doesn't mean I'm going."

"You are," he answered with certainty and enforcing it with a quick kiss on the lips.

"What part of I'll think about it don't you understand?"

"What part of getting plastered don't you understand?"

"Mhm," Pepper said as she opened the door to the passenger seat.

"Okay, so if you're not gonna go, what are you gonna do tonight?"

"I don't know."

Tony rolled his eyes and looked into the open window. "You're stubborn."

She shrugged.

He smirked. "I can think of a few things we could do."

"You're disgusting."

"Says the person going out with me." He turned to Peter. "You got a PS4? I have Advance Warfare and Rhodey plays like a fucking girl."

"You have it," Peter asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? Wait 'til you see the post-round upgrades for the Exo Suit."

"What about the maps?"

"It's still shit, but a lot better than what it was before."

Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, Pepper let out an annoyed breath. It was if she was invisible or something. They had been going on about video games for fifteen minutes and it was getting tiresome.

"Chill, Pep," Tony smiled. "I didn't forget about you." He ducked his head inside the window of the passenger seat to get a better look at her. She might be a bit mad at him for ignoring her, but he could also see it was a ruse.

"Could you start driving," she asked Peter, acting as though she hadn't heard him.

"That's cute," he teased. "You're mad at me. If I came over tonight does that mean we'd be having make up sex?" He heard her sigh, but also saw the way her upper lip had quirked up. He tried to poke her shoulder, but got shooed off. He chuckled at her antics and grabbed her hand, making her head turn. "I'll miss you then." He leaned in and kissed her on the very spot her cheeks had turned a different color and felt her lean towards his touch. "Bye, Pep." He knew everything was alright when she flashed him a smile as their car took off.

He headed back towards campus with the intention of setting a few people straight. There was no way he was going to let anyone make Pepper's life miserable.

* * *

><p><strong>Ah, Pepper's caught up in the never changing high school drama. Will Tony make things worse? On a completely unrelated note, I have begun the next chapter, should be out soon :)<strong>


	21. Young And Reckless

Pepper rushed out the front door as she stared at the figure on her lawn. If it weren't for the tree supporting him, she was sure he would have already fallen on his face. Tony looked like, for lack of a better word, shit. His cheeks were flushed; his hair was sticking up in places that didn't make sense. He had on a sweater, which seemed drenched in some sort of liquid, and dark blue jeans. She glanced around looking for whoever had brought him here, but came up empty handed.

"Tony," she called out, giving him a shove. "Hey, come on. Don't fall asleep." His head was tilt back on the trunk of the tree and his eyes were closed.

He groaned at the noise, but eventually opened his eyes. It took him another minute for his focus to clear. "Pepper? What are you doing here," he slurred.

"Tony, this is my house," she clarified, crouching down to where he was sitting.

He shook his head hard. "No. Can't be. Rhodey said I was done and told me to sit out." He looked around and smiled. "See, he's right there. Told you."

As soon as she turned around to see what he was pointing at, she laughed. "Um, that is a witch riding a broomstick."

"He's playing Quidditch? I wanna be a Chaser." His legs faltered as soon as he tried getting up. "Ouch," he groaned. "Maybe I'll help out the next one."

She found the entire situation amusing and wanted to capture it on camera. A world-reowned genius reduced to this? But as funny as it was, it was also serious, which was why she was trying her hardest to not laugh. Her parents were home. If they were pertinent to his current condition, she knew she'd be banned from seeing him.

She sighed and got up upon seeing Tony's car parked across the street. She made her way over and grabbed the note that was stuck to the windshield: **Pepper, it's Rhodey. Tony's friend. Look, I hate to do this to you, but could you watch him tonight? We got a game early tomorrow and you've probably found out he's in no condition to drive. He'll calm down in an hour or so. Thanks. I owe you.**

She crumbled the paper with her hands and threw it on the ground.

"Hey, no!" Once again, she shook him. "Don't close your eyes. Look, we'll go inside and you can sleep there."

"I am pretty tired," he replied, leaning on her shoulder and using it as support.

"Let's go then, alright?" To her surprise, Tony got up without protesting. He eventually learned to steady himself but staggered a couple steps later.

"Here," she said, wrapping an arm around him to help him out.

"Thanks. I think I drank too much." _As if that isn't obvious, _she thought as she heard him hiccup and grab his side. "I don't feel great either." His breathing was heavy and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He let out varying degrees of a groan the entire way and only stopped when she sat him down at the table.

"Just stay here. Do not move at all."

Tony nodded, put his arm on the table, and laid his head in the crook of it hoping it'd keep the wave of nausea from squirming in.

"Okay," Pepper announced, coming out the back door. "My parents are in their room, but they're still awake so you need to be quiet. Do you understand?"

She helped him up once again and prayed everything would go according to plan. Using the walls as support, they were able to make it into the living room with no issues. Now came the daunting task: stairs.

"I can do it," Tony said as she tried to grab his arm. He fell face first the very next step; she winced. Good thing there was carpet.

"What was that about saying you could do it," Pepper asked, leaning against the railing and laughing once again. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and used the palm of his hand to rub the point of impact.

He looked at the stairs and pouted. "That's not nice."

Pepper shook her head, hiding her smile as she heard him chastise the stairs as if it were a child that had done something wrong.

"They were actually made for survival," he told Pepper, giving up upon crawling onto the sixth step. He waited until his breathing returned back to normal before continuing. She, herself, had decided to sit down next to him. "Because back then there was difficult terrain. If something bad happened, they needed shelter as soon as possible and this is what they made for that."

"Really?"

"Yep," he grinned. "Then they found out it was also made for religious purposes, connecting the Earth with the Sky and all that."

"Interesting. You think you can finish going up them?"

"Then we can jump on clouds," Tony told her excitedly.

"Yeah," Pepper said, matching his tone. "But if you're not fast enough you might lose your spot."

He mumbled something incoherent and struggled up the stairs. She opened her bedroom door once they reached the top and motioned for him to go in.

"Are you the one making that noise?"

Pepper froze at the voice and turned around to look at her father feigning innocence. "What are you talking about?"

"I swore I heard something."

"I think it might be Peter. He just got back and said he was gonna make food."

"He's past his curfew again." Richard sighed, closing the door behind him and making his way over to her to get to the stairs.

In that moment, her foot quickly went to Tony's behind, pushing him forward.

"See, I just heard it again. He's drunk, isn't he," her father asked, referring to the groan that had come out of Tony's mouth.

"No," Pepper quickly said. "He's fine, and I didn't mean Peter just came back. He's actually been here since midnight. He just wanted a burrito."

"Tell him to keep the noise down," Richard sternly said as he walked back into his room.

She closed the door behind her and let out a sigh of relief. Once inside, she found Tony face down on the carpet floor.

"What are you doing," she asked in amusement.

"My butt hurts. I think it's broken."

"You can't break your butt. It doesn't work that way," she told him as she turned on a nightlight.

"It feels like it though."

"Well, you probably fell on it enough to."

Tony groaned at the brightness; then looked at her. "Are you cheating on me?" His eyes had shifted into something serious.

"No, that was my dad. You're at my house, remember?"

"Oh," he realized. "Right." He sat up and smacked the side of his head.

She offered him water, but Tony pushed it away. "I don't need it," he mumbled before laying down on his side.

"It'll help you out."

Tony didn't answer. Instead he kicked off his shoes and sighed in relief.

"How much did you drink," Pepper asked as she sat down next to him.

"Not that much. Like ten?"

"Cans?"

"Shots."

"The entire night?"

"No, in two hours," he corrected. "But I'm fine."

"Right," she humored. "You're drunk. Whether you want to admit it or not."

"Okay, maybe a little." He stared at Pepper's shirt curiously and grabbed the bottom of it. "What are you wearing under this?" Before he had a chance to look up it, she stopped him.

"Don't even think about it."

He frowned when she pushed his hand away.

"Just take a nap."

"Okay," he mumbled.

With her help, they took off his jacket. As soon as he got up, she pushed him onto the bed.

"Hey, Snuffleupagus," he smiled, grabbing the stuffed animal.

"Tony, I said I wasn't gonna name him that."

"But look at his nose," he argued, shaking the elephant so its trunk swayed back and forth.

"He's not even brown."

"But look at his nose."

Pepper chuckled and set a hand on her hip. "Just go to sleep."

He wiggled his way up the bed until his head hit the pillow. Sighing in contentment, he closed his eyes. "Thanks, Pep. You're the best."

She hummed in response and grabbed the elephant out of his arm. He put up a useless struggle and whined when he lost. She was not going to risk him puking on her stuff. _He's going to be out for awhile, _she thought. _Might as well shower. _Thanks to him, her clothes had begun reeking alcohol.

An hour had gone by since Tony passed out. She had changed into a loose v-neck and yoga pants and was now standing by her bed staring at him. She couldn't make up her mind on whether to wake him or leave him be. In the sixty minutes he had fallen asleep, she had learned quite a few things. He snored, mumbled, and tossed and turned in his sleep. She thought he was having a bad dream for a second and was ready to wake him up, but it had disappeared as fast as it had appeared, so she left him be.

She had refrigerated some water and found some Advil. Having never been drunk herself, her ideas on hangover cures were limited. She carefully made her way onto the bed and smiled. He looked peaceful, quiet; the complete opposite of his personality. And although she enjoyed the view of what his risen up t-shirt gave her, she knew it had to be cold and decided to put a blanket over him, which was a bad idea.

"Mmm," he groaned, twitching his nose. His eyes opened, and judging from the look on his face, she could tell he had no idea where he was at. "What the hell?" His head was hurting, but it was nothing compared to his current situation. Like Pepper guessed, he had no idea where he was.

"Hey, you okay," he heard someone ask.

It took him a couple seconds to recognize the voice. "Pepper?" He pulled himself out of bed and sat up.

He rubbed his eyes and looked around. He had no memory of coming here, but then again, he had no recollection of leaving the party either. He turned his head and saw Pepper next to him holding a bottle of water. He grabbed and drank a good percentage of it, then wiped everything that had dripped off his mouth down his chest. "How did I get here?"

Tony's question made her wonder just how frequent something like this happened. "I think one of your friends drove you. He left a note on your car."

That he vaguely remembered. Rhodey didn't want him alone at the party, but he had said he could take care of himself; as usual Rhodey knew better.

"Good. I thought I-" He stopped himself mid-sentence. It was better to keep quiet.

"What? Screwed up?"

"Yeah," he responded sheepishly.

"Well, you didn't. But if you did..."

"We're over," he finished. "I understand." He looked at the clock on the nightstand and cleared his throat. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No," Pepper quickly said. "I didn't sneak you in for nothing."

Tony raised his brow. "You didn't."

"Yes, I did," she smiled. "For the record, lay off the burgers."

"What are you trying to tell me? I'm not fat, Pepper. I have a six pack," he said, lifting his shirt up and showing her.

She shrugged and stared at it in disinterest. "It needs work."

Tony gasped in shock. "Wow, Pep. You just hurt my feelings." His pout was evident as he laid back down and pulled the covers over his head. "I'm gonna sleep."

She let out an exasperated sigh and pulled the blanket off him as best she could.

"Hey," he yelled, yanking it back.

"Would you be quiet," she told Tony in a hushed tone. "My parents are sleeping."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes when he didn't respond. He was ignoring her; probably on purpose. "Tony." She moved up her bed and settled at the head of it. Lifting the covers off, she shook him.

"What," he grumbled.

"You know you're sleeping in my bed, right?"

He responded by rolling left.

His action made her lip quirk up, but she held her tone. "I meant if you're spending the night, you're spending it on the floor."

"Aw, come on," he whined, sitting up. "I'll be good."

She actually found his current persona to be quite adorable. He wasn't drunk anymore, but he wasn't the Tony she knew either. It was somewhere in between.

"I just realized I've never been in your room before," Tony said, breaking her thoughts. "It's so..." He trailed off when he saw a certain photograph on the wall. "You can't be serious."

"What," Pepper asked, unashamed.

He groaned in disgust. "Seriously?! You have the hots for the High School Musical guy?"

"What's wrong with that?"

He rolled his eyes at her and glared at the photo. "So what did he write at the bottom?"

Pepper repositioned herself next to him and nudged his shoulder. "Don't tell me you're jealous," she said in a playful manner.

"Of him? Yeah, right," Tony scoffed.

"Oh, come on. Like you don't have a list of girls you want to hook up with."

"Whatever."

"What? You're not gonna tell me?"

"Nope, because I don't have a list."

"Right."

"And if I did, you'd be the only one on it."

"Right."

"That's all you're gonna say," he asked, staring at her. "I don't know crap about relationships, but even I know that was supposed to make you all warm inside."

"Okay, sorry. That was very sweet, Tony."

"Now you're just mocking me." He took his eyes off Pepper and stared at the picture again. _Zac Efron? _He didn't understand.

She scooted closer to him until her body was against his. With her cheek resting on his shoulder, she linked her arm around his and intertwined their fingers. "I think you're cuter, even though he has nicer abs."

Tony could feel her grinning and opted for the high road, not falling for the intentional jab. He cleared his throat and looked at her. "So did I say anything stupid?"

She nodded. "Then you told why stairs were made."

"Oh, because back then people didn't know how to predict the weather so they needed something convenient to get them to higher ground."

"Yeah, I remember."

He could sense her disinterest. "I just know a lot of useless stuff. Like..." He paused, thinking about it. "If we removed all the space between our atoms, Earth's population would fit inside an apple."

"You're such a nerd," Pepper teased.

"What? You don't think that's cool? Okay, how about this? All polar bears are left handed."

"Really," she asked, trying hard not to laugh at how genuinely excited he was about telling her all these facts.

"Yep. And owls are the only birds that can see blue. I also found out that a pig's orgasm can last 30 minutes."

She lifted her head up and met his gaze. "That's gross."

"Not like I was looking it up or anything." Pepper raised her brow at him. "I wasn't! I read it in the Guinness World Record Book."

"Right."

"I really did." He smiled and in that second decided to lean down and kiss her. Pepper reciprocated and didn't object when he pushed her against the headboard.

They shouldn't be doing this, but the hand caressing her hip felt good. Great. Amazing. She gasped when he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down. Her head hit the pillow with a soft thud and she looked up at him. He smirked and kissed her again, his hands finding the edge of her shirt and reaching underneath it to massage her bare skin. The feeling made her shiver.

"We shouldn't do this."

"What," Tony asked, looking down at her with a raised brow. He knew they couldn't technically do this until the third date...but when had he ever followed rules? He could tell she was thinking as she played with the hairs on his arm and he wanted her to quit. "You think too much." He crashed their lips together in a fierce kiss. Pulling back, he swept his tongue across her bottom lip and gained entrance, battling for dominance and making her moan. He pulled back for oxygen; then quickly recovered and attacked her neck. He nibbled and found her pulse point, sucking on it. Craving contact, she wrapped her arm around his neck and brought him closer, opening her legs so he could fit between them. It was a perfect match and the feeling of their hips rocking together made him groan.

His breathing was ragged; his pants were constricting. He was ready, willing, and Pepper was not objecting. He pulled her onto his lap and grabbed the end of her shirt to lift it up out of the way. The sight of her black laced bra made him growl. He carelessly tossed the shirt behind him and laid her back down. His eyes roam over her and she blushed at his action.

"You have freckles everywhere," he grinned, his hand resting on her stomach and looking around. His fingers lightly grazed her side on his scavenger hunt and it made her squirm. "And you're ticklish."

She grabbed hold of Tony's fingers before they could wander elsewhere. "So you're just gonna stare at them now?" Not that she was complaining. His fascination with her freckles happened at just the right time. Their make out session had gotten a little out of control.

"Yeah," he replied, as if it was that was the only answer.

"Fine," Pepper responded.

"Good," he smiled.

She waited until his search had nearly re-begun. "I'm gonna go to sleep though."

He frowned as Pepper went inside the blankets and scratched the back of his neck confused. _Did I say something wrong? _"Did you want sex?" No response. _Did I say something wrong? She said she was fine...fine...fine...FINE. _"Oh," he muttered. "Pep, I just got enamored by them. I thought they were just on your arms."

"Did you just say enamored?" She peeked her head out of the covers and stared at him with a raised brow.

"Yeah," Tony cautiously replied. "I'm still kinda drunk, so just remember my brain is not at its full capacity."

"Of course it isn't. Would you hand me my shirt?"

"So that's a no to sex," he asked, giving her the article of clothing. Pepper rolled her eyes. "We were never gonna make it that far, huh?"

"Not even half pass second base."

"Oh." He looked down at his pants disappointingly; then he changed the subject. "But our third date is on Friday."

"What about it?"

"Nothing. I was just making sure I had the right date."

"Uh huh."

"Scoot over," Tony told her as he crawled his way over to her. "Are you scared of animals?"

"Why? What are you planning?"

"Zoo."

"Zoo," Pepper repeated.

"Yeah. I do volunteer work and feed the animals. I want to take you there."

A smile crossed her lips. "You do that?"

Tony nodded. "You're saying how you want me to open up and I thought this was a good step in that direction."

"It sounds like fun." She was suddenly excited at the idea of it. They'd been going out for almost a month; she was glad he had finally decided to open up to her. "Just don't take me to the dangerous ones."

"But those are the best. There's a lion that's probably eight weeks old and he'd gotten really sick to the point where his mom just didn't want to take care of him anymore. It was kinda sad, but helping him get better made it worth it. He loves me."

"Sounds like you're doing it for his attention," she teased.

"He practically jumps around his cell when he hears me coming, but I feel the same."

"Well, I can't wait to meet him then."

"You'll love him. He's really adorable."

Tony waited for her response, but got nothing. Turning to look at her, he found her fast asleep. He smiled and gently wiped the hair that had fallen on her face. It was 3:20am. Sighing, he got off her bed and grabbed the extra pillow near Pepper's head. This night turned out better than he knew it could; that thought stuck with him until he fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to <span>Adel Way<span> for that idea. I'll use it sometime!**


	22. These Days Are Wild

Tony woke up to the feeling of something lightly grazing his face. He shook his head to get rid of it and was happy it worked. The feeling came back seconds later. "Go away," he mumbled. It didn't. He opened his eyes, frustrated it was disturbing him from his sleep. The thing he laid eyes on shocked him. He quickly shot up and scooted back until he hit the side of Pepper's bed.

It was a brown patched tabby cat. Its bright hazel colored eyes were staring back at him with curiosity. It was longhaired and had curled ears. Its face was round, it had distinct whisker pads, and a plume tail.

It had one of its paws out as if it was trying to reach him and he grinned. "Come here," he whispered, being mindful of Pepper's sleeping form. "Aw, you're cute." He watched as the cat came over to him and started nuzzling his leg, quickly purring as he pet down its soft coat.

"I like you, too," Tony said, grabbing the paw that was patting him. He grabbed one of the wires off the carpet and held it over the cat's head. The feline instantly started playing with it. "Don't break it though." Not that he cared, but if Pepper asked, he could at least say he tried stopping it from happening.

"That's my phone charger, isn't it?"

He turned around at the sound of Pepper's voice and shot her an impish smile. Upon seeing her, the cat meowed and left his side. He frowned and watched it go.

Pepper picked up her cat and scratched between its ears. "Hi," she greeted. It didn't take much to satisfy the animal; it quickly got up and left. "I'm really sorry I fell asleep on you," she told Tony apologetically. "I was really tired."

"I get it," he smiled.

"I thought you left. I woke up at six and didn't see you."

"I slept on the floor."

"Yeah, I noticed, and I got you a blanket. You seemed kinda cold."

He shrugged and looked at the time. _Great. _It was 9:21am. Way too early for his liking. "I'm gonna head out and shower so I can meet Rhodey at the game," he told her, grabbing his jacket and putting it on. "I'll see you there?"

Pepper shook her head. "I'd rather sleep."

"Yeah, me too." He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. "Bye," he whispered against her lips before putting his shoes on.

"You know you can't just walk out the front door, right?"

"Why not," Tony asked, standing up.

"Because I snuck you in."

"Oh, right."

"And my parents are having breakfast, they'll see you going down the stairs."

"You could distract them."

"Or I could sit back and watch you make an idiot out of yourself."

"You wouldn't do that," he responded.

"No?"

"No. You're too terrified your parents will find out I'm here. You wouldn't chance it," he said with certainty.

"Maybe I would."

"Alright. Let's go then," Tony dared, opening the door and waiting for her to get up. He knew she couldn't, wouldn't let him do it. Maybe he'd get to go down four or five steps, but that'd be it. "And what if I do get caught? What are your parents gonna think happened?"

"Nothing did happen," Pepper deadpanned.

"But they don't know that," he pointed out, not missing a beat.

"So you think they'll believe you; not me?"

"Probably not, but I'll sell it. I'm good at it."

"Tony, I don't think you thought this through," Pepper said, getting out of bed and closing the door. He smirked knowing he had just won their quarrel, but when he saw the gleam in her eyes as she turned around, he wasn't so sure. "I mean, I was looking forward to our date," she started, placing a hand on his chest. He gulped. "If my parents find out you stayed here the entire night, I'll be grounded for the week...maybe even longer because it's you."

"And...what's...that's not good," he realized, the words fumbling out. He knew what she was doing and couldn't believe it was working.

"Correct," Pepper said nonchalantly, running her hand up his chest and fixing the jacket's collar. "It's our third date. Third," she repeated for emphasis. She knew he'd been looking forward to it for awhile; she planned to use it to her advantage.

He looked back and forth between her eyes, hand, and lips before settling back on her eyes. "I know what you're doing, and I'm gonna tell you right now, don't."

"And what am I doing," she questioned, stepping closer.

"Pepper," Tony warned.

She innocently smiled.

"Don't do this." He had a minor hiccup back there, but was now back in complete control.

"Don't do this," she asked, slipping her arms around his neck and bringing his lips down to hers in a slow, lingering kiss before letting Tony take control. Once she felt him traveling down her hips towards the back of her pants, she stopped him. "Sorry," she smiled, pulling his hands off her. "That's a third date kind of thing."

"It's not gonna work."

"Funny, I think it did." She made her way over to the window and opened it. "I'm not saying you can't leave through the front door, alright? I'm just providing a better option. There's a ladder on the right side of the house."

"No, it was...but not anymore." He shrugged. "And I'm scared of heights so that is out of the question." Then he smirked. "But I'll counter with my own option."

"No," she denied. "You don't get to do that, this is my house."

He ignored her and continued. "Help me out or watch me walk into the kitchen. I'll even sit down and ask them what's for breakfast."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Pepper, don't dare me. It won't do you good."

She frowned and stared up at him with hurt in her eyes, using the guilt trip route. "You're really gonna do that to me? After how sweet I was to you last night?"

"Nope," Tony dismissed. "Don't start that crap. It doesn't work on me." He smirked when she let out a breath of annoyance.

"You're such a dick," she muttered, brushing past him.

"Hey, I was kidding." She turned around. "I wouldn't have actually done it."

"Oh, don't even pretend."

"Yeah," he replied in a bashful manner. "You're right. I would have done it."

"It's important to me that they like you. Don't you want them to like you?"

He scratched his head and sighed. "Okay, fine." This was important to Pepper. She wanted her parents to turn their opinions about him around and he could help her out with it. "It's just that I don't care about that sort of stuff. If they don't like me, then they don't like me. I'm not going to pretend to be someone I'm not. It's not worth the effort."

"I know, but even if you don't care, would you just pretend you do for me?"

"Alright," Tony smiled. "Can we go? The game starts at eleven and I don't wanna be late."

Pepper nodded and walked out the door, looking in both directions. It turned out she'd been worried for nothing. He made it out the house without any problems.

* * *

><p>Pepper frowned staring at her physics homework. She didn't know what to do or where to start with the numbers she had wrote down. She had also written the equation she knew needed to be used down, but that was it.<p>

"I hate this class." She leaned back in her chair and sighed. A chirping sound came from her phone and she picked it up, grateful for the distraction.

**Tony: Look outside :)**

She walked to her window and rolled her eyes, but had a smile on her lips. "What are you doing here," she yelled, seeing him standing on the lawn.

Tony shot her a quirky smile. "I need a reason to see you?"

"Well, no...but I can't help but think this is about something else."

"Something else, hmm," he pondered.

Pepper watched as he falsely creased his brows, thinking about it.

"Yeah," he shrugged, looking up. "I don't think so."

"Maybe these," she suggested, grabbing Tony's keys and dangling them out the window for him to see. "How did you even get into your car without them?"

"I had JARVIS."

Pepper hummed in acknowledgement. "I'll be down." She closed her window and made her way downstairs noticing her mom in the living room. She winced, but walked out the door.

"Hey," Tony greeted.

"Hey," she smiled, handing him the keys. "Going somewhere?"

"Nah. I was just close by and thought I'd come over and grab them."

"Okay, bye."

"Wait," he pouted, grabbing Pepper's hand as she turned around.

"Oh, did you want something," she amusedly asked.

"Haha," he responded. "You're not gonna let me in?"

"Not a good idea."

"Because your mom's there? Didn't you tell me you want her to like me? How is she ever gonna like me if you never even let her see me?"

Pepper squinted her eyes and glared at him. She hated when he was right.

"Come on, I'll play nice."

She looked back at the door reluctantly and bit her lip. "Okay, just don't be inappropriate."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tony dismissed in a nonchalant manner. "I'm never like that."

"Right," Pepper replied in a similar tone. "Stop lying, Stark. It isn't attractive."

"Attractive?" She regretted saying it the instant it came out her mouth. "Just attractive?"

"Now you're even less," she responded, turning around and nearly colliding with Tony's chest. He was standing right behind her.

"I'm sexy and you know it."

Pepper couldn't stop laughing and had to put a hand over her mouth to stop herself.

"See? You're not denying it."

She just shook her head at him. It was just when Tony said that, the LMFAO song popped in her mind and she had immediately pictured him singing and acting out everything in that video.

"Mom, can Tony stay awhile?"

A nervous feeling washed over him as Pepper's mother turned her attention away from the television and towards them. "Oh, sure," Victoria smiled, getting up. "I didn't know he was coming though."

"Sorry, it's my fault," he interrupted. "Pepper didn't know I was coming, but I'll remember to tell her next time."

Victoria smiled. "Don't worry about it."

"We'll be upstairs," Pepper said, grabbing Tony's hand.

"Oh my God, kitty," Tony gasped, leaving Pepper's side once upstairs and going over to where the feline was at.

"You know," she began, coming towards him. "You're never this excited to see me."

Tony glanced at her and smiled. "How come you never told me you had a kitty cat?"

"You never asked."

"Can I take her home?"

"No, this one's mine. Get your own."

He sighed dejectedly.

"Come on, Tony," she urged, walking towards her room. "Unless you wanna spend the entire night playing with my cat."

"Would you be mad if I did?"

Pepper looked at him knowing he was being entirely serious. She smiled. "Knock yourself out."

It took no longer than fifteen minutes for her to hear him walk in.

"Your kitty bit me."

She turned around and quirked her brow. "What'd you do to her?"

"Nothing," Tony mumbled. "Whatcha doing," he asked, glancing at the papers on her desk. He thought about the problem for a few seconds. "0.625, 50, and 5."

"That doesn't help," she explained, still writing it down.

"Fine. I'll help you."

"Oh no. Your definition of helping isn't the same as mine; it's annoying."

"Hey," he yelled, taking offense to that. "I help. Remember those tests you aced? That's all because of me."

"You steer off topic."

"To entertain myself. You can't expect me to help you without wanting something in return."

"And you volunteer?"

"That is a completely separate thing."

"No, it isn't."

"Scoot over," he told her, pushing her so he could sit down on the chair.

Pepper huffed, getting up. "You know you just took all the space?"

"Just sit on me." Tony pulled her to his lap. He smirked as she made herself comfortable and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Alright, so you wrote the area equation down. What other equation have you learned that integrates area in it?"

"Continuity."

"Yep. You can manipulate it and find the speed at Point 2. Then there's pressure...it's gonna be P2-P1, but the values aren't given. You're going to have to use-"

"Bernoulli's Principle. There's no potential energy, so it'll just be..." She trailed off, grabbing her homework.

"Remember you need to find Point 1's speed."

"Right." Pepper grabbed her pencil and started rearranging the equations on her paper to get the answers. She grinned when the right answer was produced out the calculator. Listening to him explain the last part to the question, she went ahead and worked on it; both unaware Victoria had been listening the entire time.

She smiled and made her presence known seconds later. "I brought you two pie."

Pepper quickly got off Tony's lap and turned around. Victoria pretended to be none the wiser and took her time strolling in.

"I forgot napkins though, so I'm gonna-"

"Oh, I'll get them," Pepper happily interrupted.

_This is awkward_, Tony mumbled under his breath once Pepper left the room. He watched as Victoria made her way to where he was sitting.

"So what were you guys doing?"

"Oh, nothing." He smiled, hoping to charm her a bit. "I was just helping Pepper out with her homework."

"Sounds like you know your stuff."

"Yeah, it comes off as second nature to me."

"Well, I appreciate all you've done. Were you in the neighborhood last night?"

"Last night," Tony asked as he felt himself beginning to perspire. "Um, yeah."

"So that was your car parked across the street," she questioned.

"Uh huh," he admitted.

"You didn't tell Pepper?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. How was he supposed to respond to that?

"I'm not saying you had to," Victoria immediately said upon seeing the look on his face. "I just thought since you were around, you'd come by and tell her hello."

"Oh, right," he responded sheepishly. "I didn't. It was late."

"Really? Because when I asked my daughter about it, she told me you had."

"What," he asked, not believing what he'd just heard.

"Here you go." Pepper's voice suddenly appeared and he couldn't be more thankful.

"I'll leave you two alone," Victoria casually said before walking out the room.

"You told her I was here last night," Tony asked Pepper in a loud whisper; she turned to look at him in confusion. "And did it occur to you that maybe you should have told me that before you left me alone with her?"

"What? No, I didn't...wait. Oh my God," she suddenly realized. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. I told her I didn't come over."

She breathed out a sigh of relief and ate a piece of her pie.

"So your mom lied?"

Pepper shook her head. "She's just comparing our stories."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Just relax. We're fine, Tony."

He glanced at the pie in front of him. "She probably put poison in it."

"Then don't eat it."

"But..." He looked at it and frowned. "It looks good."

She sighed and replaced his plate with hers, which made him smile.

"Thanks."

"You could have just asked."

"This way's better."

She hummed in response. "So when were you planning on leaving?"

"Not sure," Tony mumbled through his food.

"Well, I'm pretty sure my mom will tell you."

"What? Is she going to come in and grill me again?"

Pepper chuckled. "No, she'll just say it's late. The sad part is that she actually thinks she's being subtle about it."

"Yeah, I don't think subtlety's in her nature."

"Yeah, it isn't. Just leave around eleven and you'll be fine."

"Or I could spend the night."

"What? No," she disagreed. "You're just asking for us to get caught."

"Come on," Tony plead. "It'll be fun. We can do stuff."

"Stuff," Pepper questioned.

"Yeah, like...truth or dare."

"Why do you always bring that up?"

"Because I wanna play it with you."

"It'd be fun with a lot more people."

"Maybe," Tony shrugged. "But it can be fun this way, too. We can get to know each other," he pointed out, an innocent smile on his face. "Unless you're scared."

Pepper set her fork down and stared at him. "Scared?"

His innocent smile turned into a sly grin. "Why else won't you play with me?"

"Cause you have ulterior motives."

"Oh, so you are afraid to play then," he concluded.

"I'm not."

"Then let's play."

"Fine, let's play," Pepper agreed. She was going to make him regret this.


	23. Having No Regrets

Tony smirked having successfully broken into Pepper's house within twenty seconds. He walked through the front door and quietly closed it behind him. No lights were on expect for the ones in the kitchen. He walked a few steps and came across a figure heading his direction. Quickly, he ducked behind one of the sofas and waited before crawling to the right end of it and peeking over. Grinning, he got up and followed Pepper until she stopped in her tracks.

She jumped and screamed when she felt his hand touch her.

"Hey, it's just me," he yelled out, stopping her from running.

Pepper whipped her head around and glared at him, her face as far away from amusement as possible.

"What," he shrugged. "You were taking too long. It's 40 degrees outside."

She opened her mouth to say something, but took a much needed deep breath instead.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Tony twisted his lips thoughtfully, trying to figure out the best response to her question.

She pushed him out of her space. "Don't ever do that again. Ever. I thought you were gonna kill me or something."

He picked her phone off the floor and handed it back to her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't mean to scare me," Pepper repeated with a drab expression. "Right. Did you also not mean to break into my house?"

"Not break in, implemented a code. There's a difference."

She let out a sigh.

"Besides, your system is crap. Anyone could have broken in."

"Oh, so you're saying Stark Industries is crap?"

"That piece of shit?!" He did a double take at the door. "Whatever. Their lawsuit." He remembered telling, or rather taunting, the techs at R&D that their security system prototype wasn't anything special. As usual, he'd been ignored. Something about his age, his lack of PhD, and no experience. Like he needed any of those to run circles around them.

"Don't change the subject."

"You started...that wasn't what I was trying to do."

"You broke into my house."

"Okay, like I said, I didn't break in. I put in a code."

"You broke into my house."

"I said it was cold."

"I sent you a text."

"You did," Tony asked, genuinely surprised. He pulled out his phone to check his messages.

"Yeah; maybe if you weren't breaking in, you would had noticed."

"Okay, I guess I can see how it can be construed as that," he relented, but not at all admitting Pepper was right. "Come on," he said, gesturing her up the stairs. "I wanna start playing."

"Don't break into my house again."

Her voice was stern; her message loud and clear. "Yeah, yeah. Got it. Your parents left," he said more as a statement than an observation.

"Yep. They have tickets for a concert."

"You know what they're going to do there, right?"

"What?"

Tony turned around and waggled his brows.

"Ugh. Is your mind incapable of thinking about anything else?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who jumped to that conclusion. You didn't even know what I was thinking."

"Then what were you thinking?"

He thought about it for a second as he walked into Pepper's room. "Get some weed and smoke it."

"My parents don't do that stuff."

"Fine," he shrugged. "Then maybe they're gonna do what you were thinking."

"Tony..." She sighed. "Could you not say stuff like that?"

"What? That they're gonna get down? You do know how you got here, right?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Where's your bro?"

"With his girlfriend."

"Oh, so we're alone," he gladly said. "Awesome. Plus..." He trailed off, looking under her bed. "I had him sneak something in for me."

Her eyes widen when Tony pulled out a bottle of vodka.

"Yeah," he grinned. "It'll be a fun addition to the game. If you don't wanna answer the truth or do the dare, you drink." A look of disapproval crossed her face. "I think under all that stuff..." He pointed at her up and down and to nothing in particular. "...you got a wild side and I'm gonna get it out of you."

Tony twisted the cap off the bottle and poured the liquid into shot glasses. "Drink up," he said, sliding the glass over to her. "It's not that bad if you drink all of it-"

"At once. Just because I never go to the parties doesn't mean I've never been to one or haven't drank before."

"See," he pointed out, pouring his third shot and grinning at Pepper. "We haven't even started and I'm already learning new things about you."

Pepper gulped the shot down and closed her eyes when the warm feeling made its way into her throat. "That's really gross," she coughed out.

"You get used to it." He filled her glass again. "To make it fair, you can only use this as a substitute five times."

"I'm fine with that," Pepper agreed, sitting down and leaning against her bed. "Since you lost at Mario Kart, I think you should go first. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," he easily said, taking a seat across from her.

"Okay," she nodded, thinking about it. "When's your birthday?"

He was surprised by the question. He expected her to ask something personal, something difficult. "May 29th."

Pepper made a mental note. "I choose truth."

"Truth," Tony repeated, looking around the room and deciding to ask the question that'd been bugging him since yesterday night. "Is there anything in this room from him?"

"What do you mean?" She was honestly confused for a second, but quickly recovered. "Oh, you mean Robert. Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yeah," he softly said.

"Okay," she mumbled, glancing around the room and coming to a stop at her modernized storage shelf. "I'm not gonna get rid of anything though." She had put most of Robert's stuff in a box inside her closet, but there were some things she decided to keep around for memories. "So don't bother asking me."

"I won't." He followed her over to the shelf hoping it wouldn't be too bad. _I asked, right?_ He was only getting what he wanted.

"Most of his stuff is gone; anything he's given me is here." She pointed to an acrylic sign at the tall cubed end of the shelf. He regretted it once he read it: _Every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite_. 'Beautiful' and 'favorite' were in red and there was a heart to the right side of it. "See? I was right. You don't want to know," she told him, seeing the look on his face.

"It's fine," he brushed off. Truth was he could rip that thing into shreds right now. Taking his mind off that idea, he scanned the shelf searching for anything else that screamed ex-boyfriend.

"There's this." She grabbed the Mark Twain snow globe. "He got it for me at Disney World." The Sorcerer Mickey Mouse hat sitting next to it was self explanatory.

"I got a real boat at home."

"Well, good for you," she simply said, ignoring Tony's need to one up everyone. "He got me this iPod speaker for my birthday a few weeks ago." That he was fine with. "And then there's these conches and shells from the beach that we found over the years."

"What about this," Tony asked, pointing to a jar half filled with pennies. There was a piece of paper taped on it: _**I think someone owes me a date!**_

"He was a TA for our English class. He kinda had a crush on me and would sit me next to him because he was in charge of assigned seats. One day he asked me out. I said no. Then he gave me this jar of Snickers from the teacher's desk and asked if I'd change my mind. I told him no again."

"You were playing hard to get."

"I wasn't," Pepper denied, slapping his shoulder at the teasing look on his face. "I didn't think he was worth it because he'd just gotten out of a relationship; so I dumped the candy out and as a joke said if he could fill the jar halfway with pennies for every day I sit down in class I'd give him a chance. He stopped bothering me right after; I thought he got the message, but after we got back from break, I found it sitting on my desk."

"He waited until after to give you it? What an idiot."

"I thought it was sweet. You'd never do something like that for me," she challenged.

"I could totally do something like that," Tony shot back. He stared at the jar of pennies in disdain before letting it go. "I'm gonna prove you wrong."

Pepper smiled at his determination. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," he said, sitting back down.

"Again," she amusedly asked. "Why? You afraid I'll make you do something horrible?"

"Honestly? Yeah." He wasn't going to bother denying it.

"New rule: five truths and five dares. They have to cancel out."

"Fine."

Pepper ignored his response and went on with her question. "You remember the cheerleader that came up to us the other day? What happened with you two?"

"Why do you think something happened?"

"Because girls aren't that possessive and jealous over nothing."

"Um, I don't know." Tony saw her raise an eyebrow and was confused. He honestly had no idea what the quirk was for. "Maybe she wanted to be my girlfriend."

"So nothing?"

"It's not like I slept with her or something."

She was glad he said that. She didn't know how she would feel if he had.

Tony grabbed his drink and drank it. "This is gonna get personal, isn't it?"

"You're the one who wanted to get to know each other."

He nodded. "Right, and I still do. Drink up."

Pepper took her shot. "I thought you said-"

"Nah, changed my mind. Trust me, it's easier to tell people stuff when you're out of it."

It was now her turn to nod. "I'll pick dare."

"Really," Tony asked excitedly. If only he'd prepared himself for this. "Hmm...come on." He got up and went downstairs into the kitchen, Pepper trailing behind in slight fear. "Get ready for something good."

"Oh no...don't." Pepper grimaced as he pulled out various things from the refrigerator.

He opened several cupboards looking for a cup. "Found them." He took out a cup and started squeezing in ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, blackberry jam, vanilla soy milk, and apple sauce into it. All she could do was wince as she watched him mix the ingredients together.

"Drink all of it."

"What?!" She glanced at the dark colored liquid. "I'd rather do the shot."

"Nope. I said we weren't gonna do that anymore, remember?" Pepper didn't respond, she just glared at him. "Fine," he sighed. "Just a spoonful. Oh, and I've got a new rule: no repeats." He pulled a spoonful of the mixture out and handed it to her.

She took it and could literally feel her stomach starting to flip. Closing her eyes, she put the entire spoon in her mouth and swallowed. Unlike before, her gagging was real and she immediately took a napkin off the dining table to spit out everything left in her mouth. "That's gross." Not bothering to look at it, she threw the wad into the trash and rinsed her mouth.

Tony laughed as she did so and went up to her. "I'll let you get me back."

"Oh, I plan to." Pepper smiled deviously and opened the freezer side of the fridge, bringing out some ice. "This is all going down the front side of your underwear."

Suddenly his smile disappeared; his face turned into pure panic.

She took notice of his expression as she popped an ice cube in her mouth. "Hey, where'd your smile go?"

"You know, Pep," Tony said, a playfulness in his voice as he pressed himself against her from behind. "If you want me out of my pants, all you have to do is ask."

"Oh, could you?" She turned around and gently shoved Tony back. "Just so I know you're not cheating." Cracking the tray on the counter, she continued. "They all need to melt for it to count though."

"Okay, now you're just being vengeful."

She shrugged.

"You know it hurts, right? What if we get married or something? It could affect my sperm."

"I'm not that concerned." She turned to him, her eyes twinkling. "Whenever you're ready."

"I hate you." He glared at the pieces of ice in Pepper's hand as he took off his pants.

Her eyes did their best to stay glued above waist level, but since she was a teenage girl with a pulse, she had to glance down and see what he was wearing. She had innocent intentions at the beginning, but now she couldn't help thinking perhaps underlying it was an ulterior motive.

Tony smirked, taking into account the flustered look on her face as he grabbed the ice from her. With a deep breath, he carefully put the cubes into his briefs. He grunted to prevent himself from saying curse words and closed his eyes thinking it'd help in some way. "Shit." It didn't. No surprise there. "That's...fucking cold." He groaned and slowly backed himself against the wall, eyes still shut as he sunk into a sitting position. His arms wrapped his knees and he bent his head down. He could feel the painful sensation starting to build up. "Truth or dare?" The ice wasn't melting fast enough; he needed a distraction.

"Truth," Pepper responded, sitting on the floor next to him.

"Have you ever watched porn?"

"What?" She knew what Tony asked. She just couldn't believe he would.

"Hey, it's my turn," he told her, glancing up. He took a few seconds to catch his breath. "And since I got ice in my underwear, I think it's a reasonable question."

She sighed. He had a point. "No, but I've inadvertently seen it."

"Yeah, that didn't help," Tony muttered, teeth clenched. "Alright, truth."

"How about we just wait until you're fine?"

"Okay," he breathed out. All he wanted to do right now was scream, but he refused to give Pepper that kind of satisfaction. "Maybe we should stop playing now."

Pepper chuckled. "We just started."

"Yeah, but you're mean."

"I didn't do anything that wasn't fair, Tony."

"I can't feel anything. Anything," he emphasized to her.

"Oh." She hadn't thought of that and suddenly felt bad, but just a little.

"You're enjoying this too much."

"You're the one who wanted to play truth or dare."

"Yeah, I'm starting to regret it now."

"Maybe I was a little vengeful," she thought out loud.

"A little," Tony asked, raising a brow.

"It's not like I gave you all of them."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yep. Besides mine was worse."

"No, it wasn't!"

"The thing you made was disgusting."

"Okay, why don't I try the thing I made and you shove a couple ice cubes down your underwear and we'll see?"

"Nope, I'm not stupid."

Tony smirked. "Then I'm right."

"It was three pieces of ice, get over it."

He crossed his arms across his chest and stuck his tongue out at Pepper, which made her chuckle.

"So what are we gonna do now?"

"Talk," she suggested.

"Talk," he repeated warily. He didn't like the sound of that.

"Yeah," Pepper confirmed. "I thought about what you said and we really should start getting to know each other. Like what we like and all that stuff."

Tony knew she'd get mad if he sighed so he forced it down. He did not want this. He'd do anything but this.

"I know you don't like opening up and it's fine," Pepper softly said, catching his attention. He looked back at her with a smile that matched her tone. "But I think we should try. We can't keep doing this casual thing forever. I told you with me it was serious, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." How could he not remember? "But could we do this some place else cause my butt hurts."

Pepper chuckled and nodded.

He followed her into the living room and sat opposite her side of the couch, pulling a blanket over his legs as they face one another. "How's this supposed to go?"

"Just think of it like the truth part of the game."

"Okay," he slowly said.

"We'll start off simple."

"Oh, good." He let out a deep breath, relieved to hear that.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Red and gold."

"Really? That combination?"

Tony could see the judgmental look on her face. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," she quickly said.

He eyed her suspiciously. "What's yours?"

"Purple."

"Purple?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with purple?"

"Nothing." Tony paused for effect. "Just that it's boring."

"Purple is a nice color."

"What kind of purple?"

"Lavender."

"Like I said just then, boring."

"Why are you being so mean? It's not like I said anything about yours."

"Your face did."

She rolled her eyes and asked another question. "Why were you staring at me during homeroom?"

He looked up at Pepper in surprise.

"Yeah, I noticed," she pointed out, smirking.

"I wasn't staring."

"Yeah, you were."

"Fine." There was no use denying it. "It was your hair."

"My hair?"

"Yeah. I liked the color of it," Tony answered truthfully.

"My hair actually used to be blonde."

He stared at her, trying to picture Pepper as a blonde. "I can totally see that."

"Of course you can," she flatly said.

Tony shot her a lopsided smile. "So what were you thinking when I finally did come over?"

"That you took longer than I expected; then the kind of pick up line you were gonna use."

"Ha," he yelled out. "I didn't use a pick up line."

"You asked me a couple minutes later if I was good with my hands."

"You practically laid the groundwork for it," he smirked. "So bad first impression?"

"Well...no." Pepper smiled. "It was memorable."

"Of course it was memorable. It's me," he replied smugly.

She shook her head and sighed.

"So what did you think of me," Tony curiously asked.

"I knew how you were like and wanted nothing to do with you."

"Besides the obvious, Pep." He had came to the same conclusion a couple days after meeting her and wanted to know something surprising.

"Okay," she said, thinking about it. "Even though you tried to pick me up every chance you got, I secretly liked the attention. It was cute watching you come up with reasons to be together."

"So you had a crush on me."

"Really? Are you that narcissistic?"

"It's true." She could sense the smile in his voice. "Admit it."

"I'm not saying." The blush creeping up her cheeks deceived her.

"You so did." He had to admit it was nice knowing Pepper did.

"What about you," she asked, turning the tables. "What was your first impression of me?"

Tony said what came to mind. "That you're hot, but hard to get."

"Because I actually use my brain."

"There's girls I've been with that-"

"Really," she asked before she could stop herself. It was common knowledge Tony got around with girls, but she'd prefer them to remain nameless.

"Yeah. Like Cassidy. She's going to Berkeley next year with a full ride."

"Yeah, I guess," Pepper replied, looking down at blanket as if the designs on it were something she hadn't seen before.

He sensed the silence as his fault and replayed back what he'd just said. _Probably not a good idea to tell her who I've had sex with_. He nudged her foot until she looked up. "Favorite food?"

Pepper thought about it for a second. "Mac and Cheese. My mom makes it."

"I like pasta." Just thinking about it made him drool.

"Do your parents know we're dating?"

"I think mom does. I don't know about my dad," he said with a shrug. "But if mom knows, he definitely knows."

"He doesn't like me."

"He has his reasons." It was true. Howard made it clear to him that he shouldn't be around girls, saying they were only after him for the money and a tie to the company. It was easy to see his father viewed Pepper as such. "It's not your fault or anything."

She nodded, not pressing the issue. "What does your mom do?"

"She runs charities and makes sure personal relationships are on good terms. But I'm sure she does more than that because she's always busy." He averted his gaze and wrung his hands. "I don't know. I never asked." He tried to shrug it off, but knew it was too late. He knew his mom did the important things his father didn't trust anyone else doing and he was always jealous of that. Wasn't he important?

He cleared his throat and looked back up at her silently hoping she'd get the message and let the topic go.

"My dad works at Stark Industries. That's why we moved here."

Tony's ears perked up out of curiosity. His mind began sifting through the people Stark Industries had hired this past fall. "Really? What does he do there?"

"Oh, I'm not telling you," Pepper smiled. "You figure it out yourself."

"Fine. Shouldn't be hard." He thinned his lips and thought about it. "It's a good position since your parents can afford to buy a house like this. He probably works a lot of hours cause I've been here a few times and never seen him, which means he's either in finance, public relations, or research, but since you're horrible at science I'm gonna rule research out."

"That argument isn't even valid."

Tony grinned. "I guess I'm right."

"Just because I'm not good at science doesn't mean my dad isn't. There's a ton of people who-"

"So your dad has a biology degree," he interrupted.

Pepper opened her mouth, then closed it. _Damn it._

"Gotcha," he smirked. "So finance and PR...that means conferences, which means I could've seen or met him before. He's probably blonde cause no one has red hair there. Does he have big nostrils?"

"Nope," she replied, shaking her head.

"Good." He had rubbed a man with big nostrils the wrong way and was hoping it wasn't Pepper's father. He'd scope around on Monday. "So how many boyfriends have you had," he asked, changing the subject.

"Two excluding you. What about you?"

He shot her a 'seriously' look and she sighed. She didn't want to jump to conclusions and think zero, but who was she fooling?

"Yeah," he answered unashamed. "I did try once though."

"Really? Tell me what happened," Pepper replied excitedly.

"I think I was four and in boarding school. There was this girl I liked and I went up to her during lunch and asked if she wanted to share my sandwich and be my girlfriend. She said yes, then dumped water on my pants and yelled out I peed myself. It was embarrassing."

A smile crossed her lips as an attempt to not laugh. She tried to suppress it down her throat but it escaped her and laughter filled the air.

"It's not funny! They made fun of me." He watched as Pepper covered her mouth, but he could still tell she found the whole thing funny.

"What'd you do after? Push her to the ground?"

"No, I'm not that mean," Tony brushed off. Though what he did decide to do was far worse. "I rigged her desk so that each time she pulled it up, it'd squirt mayo onto her stuff. It took her almost three weeks to notice it."

Pepper made a disgusted sound.

"Yeah," he grinned, thinking about it. It was a blast. "I got kicked out of school a couple days later and my mom was so pissed. I had to seal letters for a month."

"That's not too bad."

"I was four," Tony stated.

"Well, if you could make something that squirts mayo every time a girl opened her desk, I'm pretty sure you could seal some envelopes."

"What about you? Anything embarrassing happen to you at school before?"

"I don't think so," she responded, still thinking about it. "But in third grade I pushed a girl into a three foot wide mud puddle because she took my seat in class."

"Wow, you really are mean to people."

Pepper glared at him and kicked his leg underneath the blanket. "I'm nice."

"Yeah, you totally are," he sarcastically said, reaching down to rub his leg. "That's why you kick people for no reason."

She smiled and shrugged. "No one would even believe you if you said that." Her smug demeanor disappeared when she felt him kick her own leg. "Hey!"

"Yeah, it's not fun, is it?"

"I didn't kick you that hard!"

"A kick's a kick," he equated.

She made a move to retaliate, but Tony grabbed her leg. "Let go!"

"So you can kick me again? I don't think so."

She tried tugging her leg back harder and was caught by surprise when Tony let go. She flew backwards and hit the arm of the sofa. All she heard after was him laughing so she threw a pillow at his face. It stopped him instantly, but she could still see the smug look on his face.

"So worth it," Tony smiled.

She huffed and leaned back; that was when her eyes caught the time. It was nearly 2am. _Already? It was just 11:30 awhile ago. _"Are you gonna stay tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll take the couch," he replied, watching Pepper get up.

"Yeah, that's better than sleeping on the floor. And don't break into my room," she told him in case he planned on doing so.

"How am I gonna break into your room? You can just walk in."

"Then don't walk into my room," she corrected.

"No problem. You sure your parents are gone until tomorrow?"

"Yep. Don't fall off," Pepper teased, sitting down at the empty space next to him on the sofa.

"I won't," he said, tangling their fingers and tugging her gently towards him. She gave in and leaned forward until their foreheads softly touched. He let go of her hand and made his way up the nape of her neck. His thumb swept the underside of her jaw as he pulled her in for a deep kiss. He didn't know how to describe it. Everything was better when she was around...he was happier. Maybe the idea of love wasn't too bad after all. He remembered being scared out of his mind going into this relationship with Pepper. Looking back on it now, that'd been stupid. If you had the right intentions, everything would fall into place. It makes sense. He understands it. She pulls back smiling; he knows it's sincere...knows it's just for him because when he smiles he figures she must be feeling the exact same way.


	24. Right Where We Are

"What are you doing?"

"I'm brushing up on my skills," Maria replied, taking her eyes off the piano. "The gentleman we booked had to go into emergency surgery and I can't seem to get a hold of anyone this late at night so I thought I'd give it a shot."

"You haven't played in forever."

"Which is why I am practicing."

"But the benefit's tomorrow night. What if you screw up?"

"Excuse me," she asked, daring him to repeat what he just said.

"You'll do great," Tony quickly corrected, smiling of course.

He'd just gotten off the elevator when he heard a soft melody carry its way upstairs and down his hall. He remembered the piece, remembered when he was two that his mother had taught him that song to keep him out of trouble at Stark Industries - something about drawing on the walls with markers and sharp objects every time she was needed and trained professionals not being able to control him while she was gone. Apparently he hated coloring books and couldn't stay still.

He walked over to where his mother was at and sat next to her, eyeing the music sheet. "A Thousand Years?"

"Yep," she smiled. "I listened to it at work; it's a beautiful song. They tell me it's from a movie called Twilight."

"Yep. Don't tell me you watched it or something."

"God, no. The whole concept is ridiculous. Vampires falling in love? I don't understand it," Maria dismissed. "But the song was chosen by our guests of honor and I think it's the perfect instrumental closing to the benefit. Which reminds me, I need you waiting out front a quarter past five."

Tony nodded.

"So how are things with you and Pepper?"

He glanced at his mother, a quizzical look on his face. "What?"

"Pepper."

He stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "I know who she is."

"Then why the puzzled look on your face?"

"She's..." He trailed off pressing a few of the piano keys. "...how she always is. Do we have to talk about her?"

"Well, seeing how Pepper is your girlfriend, I think we do."

"How did you-"

"I'm your mother. I know everything."

His cheeks suddenly turn a slight red.

"That's right," Maria smiled, her voice laced with superiority. "So don't think I don't know what you do when you leave this house."

"I was gonna tell you," Tony started, but was cut off.

"Relax, I'm not upset. Pepper's a wonderful girl and I happen to like her a lot."

"Really," he surprisingly asked, turning to face her. He knew there was no reason for his mom to not like Pepper and he was glad to have it finally confirmed.

"Of course," Maria nodded. "I think you should tell Pepper to come tomorrow. It'll be fun. You'll have someone to spend time with and I'm sure she'll love it."

"Mom," he groaned out for as long as possible.

"What? You don't think so?"

"It's just dancing, eating, and talking. Only old..." He stopped himself, but it wasn't enough as his mother shot him the same look as earlier for his poor choice of words. "...adults like that kind of stuff. It's a waste of time to us. Don't girls need advanced notice for this kind of stuff?"

He was looking for the nearest exit route and she was not about to let it happen. "I'm sure my stylist can whip something up should Pepper decide to come."

"Fine," he relented, knowing he had no other choice.

"I want to invite Pepper over for dinner next month."

"What are you doing," Tony decided to ask, bluntly at that. "First you want Pepper at the benefit and now you want her over for dinner. What are you planning?"

"I just want to get to know her," Maria explained in the sincerest tone possible. "You really like her and I want to understand the reasoning behind it. Is that too much to ask? Because if it is then I'm sorry I asked."

"So you just want to ask her about her life and stuff," he asked just to be sure.

"Yes." Maria smiled and brushed his bangs to the side. She made a mental note to tell her team to cut his hair. It was getting too long. "I should have opened up with that instead. Is that a yes? I promise to not embarrass you."

"Do you honestly think you can promise me something like that?"

"Okay, you have a point. I promise to not intentionally embarrass you. Better?"

"A lot," he smiled.

"And now that you have a girlfriend, I think it's time we get a few things clear."

"Things like what," Tony asked.

"Things like sex and protection."

"Mom!"

"What? Do you want me to call your father down?"

"No, I get it," he said. "You do not have to do this."

"Good. But just know that no matter how old you think I am, I'm still not old enough to be a grandmother so you better watch where you're sticking your tool."

"Mom!" If he wasn't embarrassed before, he was now. He held his hands to his ears and blocked her out. All Maria did was laugh as she told him goodnight.

* * *

><p>"I have no idea what to get Gabby for Christmas."<p>

"Are you two dating?"

"Yep," Rhodey responded, a wide grin on his face.

"Why do you need to get her something? You just started the relationship."

"It's our first holiday together, kind of important."

"Sure," Tony said noncommittally. He never cared for the holidays and the thought hadn't even occurred to him to get Pepper something. Did he have to get her something? What if she was getting him something? What would he get her in return? He could feel himself starting to freak out.

"What are you getting Pepper," Rhodey inquired, putting salt to the wound.

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I wasn't even thinking about it until you brought it up," he snapped, calling him a derogatory word under his breath.

"You need to get her something. It shouldn't be too hard, man."

"Says the guy who doesn't know what to get his own girlfriend."

"I just started dating her. You've been with Pepper for a month."

"You're just saying that as an excuse. I could get her something custom made," he thought out loud.

"You might wanna think of something more thoughtful. Not something you could just buy the day before at a store."

"I said custom made."

"That's not my point."

"You know what? Stick to your own problems," Tony told him before taking a bite of his cheeseburger.

"Are you gonna ask her to formal?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you," he asked, setting his food down. Now he had another thing to worry about. Formal? Was Pepper expecting them to go? What if she had a dress for the occasion picked out?

"What," Rhodey asked, oblivious to his dilemma. "Happy and I are going. We want to know if you are."

"Can I just eat my lunch without you talking about dances and presents? I already have enough stuff to deal with." He still hadn't asked Pepper to the benefit or to dinner at his house. "I swear, you're becoming a chick."

"Sorry I asked," Rhodey mumbled, going back to his fries.

Tony was about to take a bite of his burger when he noticed someone going for his fries. He was about to stop the culprit when he noticed strawberry blonde hair.

"I thought you went out for lunch."

"I did," Pepper replied.

He scooted over so she could sit down next to him.

"I'm gonna see if Gabby's back," Rhodey said, excusing himself.

"Look," he began, followed by a sigh. He set his burger down and shot her an apologetic smile. "I know we have a date tonight, but could we reschedule? There's this thing I have to go to and I can't get out of it."

"What thing," Pepper asked, trying not to be mad.

"Stark Industries is hosting a Christmas benefit. I completely forgot about it until two days ago." He would had forgotten it all together if not for JARVIS.

"Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you?"

"My parents do it every year," he decided to explain. "It's for the soldiers in Afghanistan. Our way of saying thanks. Even mom wants you there tonight."

"What," she asked surprised.

"Yeah, I was trying to get to that. You don't have to go if you don't want to." He was jealous Pepper had the choice. "It's more of an adult thing. If you say no, I'd-"

"It's not that I don't wanna go. I-"

"Right? I told her the same thing," he automatically said, not realizing what she said until it registered in his mind. "Wait, what? You're telling me you want to?"

"You said your mom wants me to."

"Yeah, but why does that matter?"

"Well, I like her and it sounds fun."

"Seriously? It sounds fun," he repeated, questioning her idea of a good time. "What do you consider boring?"

"Sitting in my room and watching the time go by wondering when my boyfriend is gonna pick me up for our date," she automatically retorted with a false smile.

"Okay, I so deserved that."

"Yeah, you did," Pepper chuckled, stealing another one of his fries. "I don't think I have anything that formal to wear though."

"Not a problem," Tony smiled. "My mom has you covered. All you have to do is show up and let her stylist team do their jobs."

* * *

><p>"Oh no. You're not going out there with that nest." Maria grabbed her son by the shoulders and pushed him back down on the chair. "Jenna, cut his hair for me."<p>

"What? No," Tony yelled out. He tried to get up but his mom pushed him down again. "Mom!"

Pepper stifled her laugh as Tony tried to avoid Maria touching his hair and demonstrating to the barber what kind of style she wanted him to have.

"You look like you just woke up. I admit, it's adorable on you, but this isn't the place for that."

"This sucks," he frowned, sitting up as directed by the stylist.

"I can't believe your mom tells you how you should get your hair cut," Pepper told him as Maria left the room.

"She doesn't."

"Then what should I call what just happened?"

"Creative input," he smirked.

"So I've narrowed it down to three dresses based on your measurements," said Maria, entering the room. "Granted, they're more on the mature side but I think it'll be fine. You can pull it off. This one is the most conservative," she explained as the gown was made visible by her assistant. "It has jewels on the sleeves and waistline; the back is draped. I chose it because it matches your eye color."

Pepper opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't. She was in awe having never seen a selection this beautiful just for her to choose from.

"Okay, you think about it," Maria smiled, knowing all too well the thoughts going through Pepper's mind. She'd been in the same position. Howard had given her five dresses to choose from for her first charity event and she felt like a kid in a candy store...she wanted a little bit of everything.

"There's this one. It's a crystal laced halter dress. It's got a back slit and crossover bodice. The last one's more laid back, it's got a casual feeling to it," she smiled as the dress was made visible. "It's a chiffon gown and I love the designs."

Tony spoke up in the midst of silence. "I like the second one."

"Thanks for telling us, but no one was talking to you, honey."

"No one was talking period," he offhandedly responded. Pepper must have glanced between the dresses a million times since his mother stopped talking.

"Shut it," Maria said, giving him a warning look. "There's no need to rush, Pepper. We still have two hours to decide."

"Two hours? Seriously," Tony asked. "What am I even doing here?" He didn't understand. It took him five minutes tops to get into his suit.

Maria sighed and turned to the bodyguard. "I need him gone."

"Wait! Don't," he protested. "I'll be quiet. I won't say a thing."

"It's too late."

"But-" Tony only got a word in when she decided to interrupt.

"Don't even."

"I wanna see what Pepper-" He caught her glare mid-sentence and decided to shut up and do as told.

"Sometimes I wish I could put a sock in his mouth so he can't talk for an hour," Maria told Pepper as the door closed and they were left alone. "Tony's a handful."

Pepper laughed softly. "Yeah, I noticed."

"And you've known him about five months? Imagine how I feel. That kid's been giving me a hard time ever since I found out I was pregnant."

"Has he really," Pepper curiously asked.

Maria nodded. "I had the worst bouts of nausea when I was pregnant. I couldn't get anything done. I couldn't even read a budget report without him protesting. Six of my eight hours at Stark Industries were spent hunched over the toilet. The doctor said it was natural, I told him there was nothing natural about lying on the ground or in bed the entire day not able to move at all. Turned out I had a severe form of morning sickness and needed treatment because of high hormone activity. I thought he was being sympathetic when he said studies showed women in my case usually had intelligent babies; I laughed it off and karma got me back. When Tony was six months, I found crawling to the staircase and trying to go up them."

"He must have scared you."

"He did. He started standing up a few days later. I thought he was gonna take his first steps but he fell on his butt instead. He started wailing his little heart out. It was adorable. After an hour of calming him down, he finally fell asleep. I always appreciated that because it meant I'd have some peace and quiet. You'll know what I'm talking about when you're older, that is if you plan on having children, Pepper."

"Um..." Pepper was starting to get embarrassed and nervous to say the least. She didn't know their conversation would steer in this direction. "Yeah, sure. Just not yet, maybe in ten years or something."

Maria smiled. "Well, that's always good to hear." Ten years? She didn't see the harm in waiting that long.

Pepper took the bottle of water Maria offered and smiled. To keep the awkward silence away, she said, "Oh, I never got to thank you for inviting me."

"Nonsense, there's no need for that. I am glad you came." She sat across from Pepper as her team got started on her hair and makeup. She'd use this chance to ask her a couple questions knowing she had her staff's discretion. "So tell me how this came about. I know you didn't say yes when Tony first asked you out. He's not the kind-"

"Of guy I'd normally go out with," Pepper said, finishing off her sentence.

"I know girls like you," Maria told her in the most non-judgemental way possible. "And I know boys like mine. He's...let's just say, trouble."

"I said we had to take things slowly. It's been working out so far and I see how hard he tries at making us work; I'm glad I took a chance."

"I know how Tony is...he's gonna want to figure this relationship stuff out on his own. You can't let him. He'll hurt his brain."

"For a genius, he's really clueless about this kind of stuff," Pepper agreed.

Maria laughed. "Men are stupid. Let me tell you something. When I first met Howard, he asked me out on a date. I had no idea who he was, what he did, or that he owned a company, was rich...any of that. I thought he was handsome so I said yes and when it got serious he stopped the romantic overtures. He thought he finally had me for good but I proved him wrong. I called up a male friend of mine and had a photographer take candids of us to send Howard. We'd been together almost a year and you know what he did after he saw the picture? He thought it would be a good idea to propose so I'd stay with him. I slapped him. All he cared about was Stark Industries, he still does, but let me tell you, the man learned a lesson after that. Do not ignore me and do not think for one second you own me because I will pack up my things and go no matter how much I love you."

"God, you're my role model," said the woman doing Maria's hair. "No wonder he does everything you tell him."

"You have to keep them on their toes," Maria replied before going back to Pepper. "I know Tony is new to this, but don't cut him any slack. He'll never learn if you let things slide because you feel bad for him. He'll use it as an advantage."

"So if he forgets something we planned, I shouldn't let it slide once in a while even if he-" She cut herself off. She felt bad talking about Tony behind his back and to his mother no less. It was wrong, but she needed some insight; no one knew Tony better than her.

"Even if Tony didn't do it on purpose. He tends to forget things, I know, but you got to treat him like you would any other boyfriend. Believe me, it works."

Pepper opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a held up finger.

"But if you end up breaking his heart, just know I won't take it lightly. He's still my kid and I look out for him."

"Got it," Pepper nodded, a smile on her face.

"Alright, now that we're on the same page, let's try on the dresses and see which one will make his jaw drop."

Tony groaned in boredom as he lost at Flappy Bird. He had texted Pepper thirty minutes ago but she had yet to respond to the bounty of messages he left for her.

"Where's your mother," said a familiar voice.

He looked up and saw his father walking into the room. "Talking to staff."

Howard sighed in relief.

"Should you be drinking," Tony asked, watching Howard take out a hidden bottle of scotch.

"Certainly not this early."

"Can I try some of that?"

Howard thought about it for a second before giving in. "This never happened. Understand?"

"Got it," he nodded as he took the glass from his dad.

Howard scratched his forehead and sat down. He was avoiding Maria at the moment. She would always push him to make small talk with their business partners and he hated doing it alone so he had learned to make himself scarce twenty minutes prior public entry.

"Can I ask you something about mom," Tony asked after a period of silence. He and Howard were at a good place and he needed someone to talk to. His dad was also the only person he knew currently in a successful long term relationship with someone.

"Go ahead." His interest was peaked, he had no clue what this was about.

"Did you get mom anything the first time you spent Christmas together?"

"Sure." Howard remembered it clearly. "Then she decided to throw it into the Pacific Ocean."

Tony looked at his dad in shock. "What?"

"Just like that," Howard replied as he snapped his fingers. "Half a million."

"She didn't like it?" He didn't understand. Why would she do that to him?

"No, she did. She just told me it didn't come from the heart."

Tony closed his eyes and threw his head back on the arm of the sofa and groaned. He'd been afraid of that. What if his gift wasn't thought out enough? What if it was too extravagant? "What did you get her that cost so much," he curiously asked.

"A ring."

"A ring," he repeated, trying to fit the pieces together. "So..."

"I asked your mother to marry me." His interruption left Tony speechless and mouth agape. "It was a stupid decision and I did it out of pure panic. She was seen hanging around this billionaire. I found out about it in the tabloids and all I could think about in that second was if I didn't ask her to marry me, he might and I'd never see her again. The entire thing was orchestrated, she purposely flipped to that column of the paper that morning so I didn't miss it. I asked her Christmas; she stood there acting faked surprised until I showed her the ring. Then your mom slapped me and said I was the biggest dick she'd ever met and it'd be the last time I'd see her if I didn't get my head straight."

"That why you're afraid of mom?"

"Your mother does not scare me."

Tony scoffed as they made their way downstairs and into the ballroom.

"God, there she is. I'm gonna get some food and pretend I've been here the entire time talking to people."

As his dad blended himself into the crowd, Tony went to the bar and asked for water knowing he couldn't get away with asking for alcohol. He leaned against the bar and looked for Pepper. He couldn't find her. What if she left? He hurriedly scanned the room again until his vision got obscured.

"Tony," Obadiah excitedly greeted.

Everything the man was saying went in one ear and out the other. All he wanted was Pepper. He tried to look past the balding head and hand movements. Then she caught his eye. "Holy..." There was no way he could finish that thought. He pushed past Obadiah with one thing in his mind - he had to get to Pepper Potts.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Roma77<span> - yes. Thanks for noticing! But can you name the other artists?**

**Also, special thanks to those who always take the time out to leave a comment, it's much appreciated and makes writing worth it. I can't thank you guys enough! Thought I'd leave you guys with a Christmas gift by updating! I will do my best to not leave you guys hanging too long. R&R! I just might update sooner!**


	25. Light Of A Thousand Stars

He stared at her form and involuntarily smiled. Pepper looked stunning...beautiful...amazing...breathtaking. He could probably describe her with a thousand more adjectives, but it was probably enough for now.

The dress was exquisite and it fit her wonderfully. The strapless white chiffon gown featured a front slit that ran up to her thigh and crossed draped panels sculpted the bodice. She had on matching heels with cream floral designs on it that seemed to match perfectly with the sparkling diamonds on her neck. Her hair was down in a messy side ponytail and fishtail plait fashion with some of her bangs framing her face.

"Is it really," Pepper asked, genuinely shocked.

"It is," the man next to her said. Tony had no idea who he was, but he didn't like the way he was looking at her or the way he was complimenting her. "I told her you'd look beautiful in it and it'd be my pleasure to send a dress down for you."

"Well, thank you for saying that. It's gorgeous."

"Has anyone ever approached you about modeling? You definitely have all the right elements for it. There's room in the fashion industry for a girl like you."

"There you are," Tony spoke just as Pepper opened her mouth.

He had startled her a bit when he wrapped an arm around her.

"Mr. Stark," the man greeted. "I was just complimenting Miss Potts on how great she looked in my upcoming 2015 collection."

"Yeah, she looks great, doesn't she," he praised.

"She looks spectacular. Miss Potts, think about what I said. It sure beats the hell out of college."

Pepper let out an embarrassed laugh, looking down at her dress, before locking eyes with Tony once the designer left. "I look ridiculous."

"That's not true," he immediately said, linking their hands. "You're the prettiest girl in this room."

Blush crept to her cheeks. "You don't have to say that." But, nonetheless, she was glad he had.

"What? You think I'm lying," he asked in a honest but airy manner.

"Alright, fine," Pepper conceded. "I'm the prettiest girl in the room."

"Good," he told her, an involuntarily smile escaping his lips again. He didn't care how much he had to say it, Pepper was the prettiest girl in the room and he'd tell her that until she thought the same thing.

"I like your haircut," she told Tony as she tapped the piece gelled forward. His sides were short, but the crown still had volume, which was currently styled up for height and texture. "It looks good on you."

"That the only thing you like that you see," he asked, fishing for compliments.

"Your tie's really nice."

"It matches my eyes."

"It does," Pepper surprisingly noticed. Sometimes she thought Tony cared too much about his appearance, but then again, she'd rather he did than didn't.

"What else," Tony asked as he led them to the area where the rounded banquet tables were at.

"I like your cologne. You should wear it more often," Pepper suggested.

"Sure. Anything else," he asked again. He was getting impatient with her answers and it showed. They took their seats at their assigned table and he positioned his body to face hers. Pepper put a finger to her chin and tilted her head. He wanted her to compliment him on his appearance; she knew that. There was just the fact that she wasn't entirely in a 'stroking his ego' mood.

"Well, if you weren't pushing for it, Tony," she nonchalantly started. "I'd say you look handsome."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her when something suddenly hit him upside the head. "Ow!" He looked up and noticed his mother.

"Cut that out."

"It's not like I was gonna shove my tongue down her throat," she heard him mutter. "When's food coming? I'm starving."

"Soon," Maria replied. "I need a photo of the two of you, so if you'd stand up," she trailed off, motioning for them to do so.

Tony sighed and got off his seat; Pepper responded more willingly. A series of lights flashed until Maria was satisfied with the ones the photographer had.

Seconds later, Pepper started scrolling through the pictures on her own phone that she had asked Tony's mother to take.

"We're adorable," he commented for the second he had paid attention. The appetizers arrived shortly after and he immediately dug in.

She snapped a photo of the seared scallops.

"You are such a girl," he mumbled through his mouthful. "Taking pictures of everything."

"So how's the food," Maria asked, taking a seat at the table; Howard following behind.

"Pepper's been taking pictures of it at every angle possible."

"You are such a liar. I only took one," Pepper corrected him.

"Sure," Tony scoffed. "And I just got back from Santa's house."

Howard watched their exchange and turned to Maria for answers. She shrugged and went back to her food.

"You remember Pepper, don't you, Howard?" His mother's voice and question caught Tony's attention. This could go all kinds of wrong. "She approached us at the hospital when Tony had his accident."

"Right," his father remembered. He looked at the young lady. "Potts. Your father works in my finance division." As Maria suggested, he was to keep conversation light and simple. Nothing invasive if he intended to stay on her good side.

"He does," Pepper responded.

"I've met him. Excellent work ethic," he complimented.

"Do you have the same career goals or are you more interested in something else," Maria asked. "Because if nothing is set in stone, I'd consider Caleb's option."

"Who's Caleb," Tony inquired.

"The person who designed Pepper's dress," his mother answered as the waiters changed courses. "He thinks she's model material."

"Like for Victoria's Secret? Because that'd be so-" Pepper sensed how excited he was and glanced at him in amusement. Maria, on the other hand, did not share the same sentiment. "...so wrong," he amended.

"Honey, Tony is a teenager," Howard stepped in. "There'd be something wrong with him if he didn't get excited over girls in lingerie."

"I still don't like it," his wife admitted, directing her response to her son.

Tony shot Maria a sheepish smile. In hindsight, maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. The rest of dinner went by smoothly and he didn't say anything wrong to his mother's standards. Dessert was served and that was when his parents excused themselves. They still had guests to greet before the night was over.

"He just ruptured my eardrums." The current karaoke singer had just tried to belt out the high note from '_I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing_.'

"Oh...like you could sing better?"

Tony sat his fork down and looked at her. "I don't like that implication."

Pepper innocently smiled. "Implication?"

"Yeah," he answered a matter of factly.

"Well, by all means show me otherwise," she dared, eyeing the karaoke machine.

"Nah, I'll pass," he dismissed. "Wouldn't want to show up everyone else. Tonight's not about me, remember?"

"Right." The melody changed, indicating a new form of entertainment. "I didn't know you knew how to dance."

"Is that some sort of secret message?"

"No," Pepper quickly answered. She would do anything to avoid dancing. She was horrible at it. "Everyone's going onto the dance floor and I remember your mom saying you knew how so I-"

"Come on, we're going," Tony said, standing up and holding his hand out. He could sense Pepper's nerves a mile away and realized her hesitation could be because she didn't know how to dance; that amused him greatly. He hated dancing, but he could make an exception.

"What? No! I'm eating." She went back to her cheesecake and ignored his stare.

"What are you afraid of," he asked, sitting back down. "Just follow my lead, Pep."

"Don't laugh," Pepper told him in all seriousness as she reluctantly followed him.

"Don't worry." He took her hand and wrapped the other around her waist. "Okay, when I step forward with my left foot, you do the same backwards."

"Alright," Pepper said, doing as instructed.

"It's kinda like a mirror image," he explained while teaching her.

"Tony..." She sighed. "Do you honestly expect me to remember all those steps?"

"Just try it," he said, already making the first move. "What'd you do when guys asked you to dance with them at school?"

"No one asked. I had a boyfriend. Who didn't make me dance."

"Yeah, well, sounds like someone didn't care enough to teach you." It was an obvious jab at Pepper's ex-boyfriend that didn't go unnoticed by her. "What? That's what I think," he shrugged.

Pepper chose not to respond; she focused on dancing instead.

"So does this count as a third date?" His voice made her look up and stare straight into his chocolate brown eyes. "We ate dinner, we're dressed up, and dancing. Yeah, it's a date," he concluded, smiling at her. "I'm really glad you decided to come. It would've been boring without you here."

She could see from the reflection in his eyes that Tony meant that. There was something raw, honest, and real about it that made her smile. Sure, he blurted an excuse right after in his typical fashion, but for a second, his guard had been down. She moved closer to him and leaned her head on his chest. Her eyes closed and she did her best to capture and remember this second, this moment in time. Her hands wrap around his waist and he instinctively pulled her in. His heartbeat was music to her ears; the song they were dancing to couldn't be any more perfect. Her mother once said a first dance meant everything, that if it was with someone you cared for, it'd be imprinted in your heart forever; she had a feeling that just happened.

"I said you could do it," he pointed out once the song ended.

"And exactly who are you congratulating? Because if I didn't know better, I'd say it was yourself."

"You're kinda right, but it's tipping more towards you. Wanna get out of here? All that's left is the auction and final dance. We aren't gonna miss anything."

"Where," Pepper asked as Tony was leading them off the dance floor and into the crowd and into an area she could only describe as an expansive balcony. It was romantically lit and there were several couples outside taking advantage of the heat the open fire pits were eliciting. However, as he said, they were slowly making their way inside for the charity auction that'd just been announced.

Tony watched as Pepper again snapped a photo of the view down below and shook his head. "Why do you take so many pictures," he asked, standing next to her.

"For scrapbooking. I like doing that kind of stuff when I have time," Pepper responded, a smile on her face. "Plus, I had fun tonight. I want to remember it."

"You had fun," he asked, surprised to hear that.

"Yeah," Pepper confirmed, handing her phone over so Tony could put it in his pockets again. "Thank you for letting me be your date."

"You're welcome," Tony smugly said, earning him a punch on his arm and rolling of her eyes. "What? You said thanks. I'm supposed to say you're welcome."

"Yeah, but no one sounds like a jerk saying it. And you just ruined a perfectly good moment."

"Isn't that what you like about me though?" He stepped closer to Pepper with the same plastered smile as earlier. "I ruin the moment, you're mad I did, we laugh; then we make out a bit," he explained, leaning in to do so.

She held her hand up to block Tony's kiss. "We do not do that."

"It's kinda our thing," he mumbled through her fingers. Then, out of pure amusement, he bit her hand.

"Tony!" Pepper instantly pulled her hand back and wiped his spit off with his shirt. "Ugh. That's gross."

"Then don't put them near my mouth."

"Oh, I won't be putting anything near your mouth. Don't worry," Pepper falsely smiled.

He realized his mistake instantly. "Oh, wait! I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was I..."

She arched her brow when Tony stopped mid-thought; probably because he came up short.

He shrugged and proceeded to capture her lips in an unexpected kiss. Both his hands cup her cheeks and he hummed in delight as she dragged him closer with his tie. Memories from tonight played through his mind, making him want her more. His hands trail to her waist and in one swift motion, he backed her onto the wall behind them. He stepped forward and put his body flush against hers, kissing her again as her own hand rubbed the back of his neck. He had no idea how much he liked that until tonight.

His hands start to wander, but not to anywhere inappropriate. This was a public setting; anyone could walk in and interrupt them at any second. He kissed her once more before attacking her neck. She liked it, from past kissing sessions he had figured it out. Her breathing was heavy and he could feel the warmness of it on his skin. Her fingers ran down his dress shirt to his stomach to his belt buckle. She lingered for a couple seconds, playing with it but never going further down. It seemed like she'd been teasing him for hours so much that he had to grab hold of her wrist and make her stop.

This time he kissed her with everything he had. One of his hands expertly made its way toward the front slit of her dress. He wanted something from her, something that radiated heat so he settled his hand on the inner regions of her thigh and started caressing it.

"Come back to my place tonight," Tony softly whispered.

Pepper gazed into his eyes and saw pure desire in them, which made what she was about to say even more difficult.

"They won't be back until tomorrow morning."

"Tony, I..."

"You trust me, don't you?"

She nodded and tried her best to translate her thoughts into words. "But I don't think we should go there yet."

"Okay," he said, sniffing back the sting of rejection. He stepped back and tried not to take her words personally, but ultimately couldn't.

"I'm not rejecting you." She had to make sure Tony knew that.

"Well, that's what it fucking feels like," he angrily replied.

"Can we just go inside and watch the auction," Pepper asked in lieu of responding.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second," he said, turning his back on her and walking over to the railing separating them from the ocean. He needed time to cool off.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?"

He caught Pepper in his peripheral vision and flickered his gaze elsewhere to ignore her. When he felt her hand rest on his arm, he instantly shrugged it off.

"Look, I want to," she began, which got his attention. "But it's not something I'm-"

"I won't leave after it's finished," Tony said, his voice just above a whisper. He shook his head and looked back into the water. "Just forget I said anything."

"That isn't why," Pepper replied, but it was considerate of him to think so. "Can you look at me at least? I want to tell you something."

"Fine." He stared at her and crossed his arms.

"You can be upset about this all you want, but don't treat me like I did something wrong. You either drop this stupid attitude or I'll get a cab and go home."

"Sorry." Tony dropped his hands to his sides. He wanted her to stay.

All of a sudden she felt exposed, vulnerable, naked...open to ridicule. "You've been with a bunch of girls and-"

"I don't care about that," he interrupted. If experience was what Pepper was afraid of, then she was stupid for thinking so. None of those girls ever mattered, he just needed them to satisfy his sexual needs. "I just want you. All I care about is you." He turned to her and grabbed her hand. "Why can't we? I felt you reacting to everything I did."

"Because I haven't actually done it before," Pepper quietly told him. Just like that, confusion crossed his face. She already couldn't look him in the eyes and the way he was staring at her now made it impossible to stare past him, too. She glanced down at their intertwined hands. He hadn't let go. That was a good sign.

"Wow, thanks for making me feel like an ass," he commented, breaking the silence that'd fallen between them. He brushed past her and sighed. "You could had just told me," he said, facing her. His voice turned soft and he made sure it didn't come off judgmental. It took an immense amount of courage to admit what she just said. "It doesn't change how I feel about you."

For a moment, she smiled; forgetting everything that had happened. It was a relief to get that off her chest. "You thought because I was with Robert..." She laughed nervously. "It sounds stupid, I know, but I-"

"It's not." One thing he liked about Pepper was her persistence to do what she felt was right and her determination to never steer away of that. "I mean, I'm sort of bummed out about it not happening tonight, but you-"

"Sort of," she asked, pointing to the part of his body that'd betrayed his words.

"Alright. A lot," Tony corrected. "But you're the one who did it to me. Do you know how hot you look tonight?" His question made her cheeks blush and he walked over to her with a reassuring smile. "It doesn't bother me and you shouldn't feel the need to explain yourself. I get it, Pepper."

She wasn't as certain as he was. It was one thing for him to say it and another for him to mean it. "Are you sure? Because if you aren't, I'd rather you just tell me." Robert had said the same thing and lied. She didn't need sex being a problem in their relationship either.

"I'm serious," he insisted. "I won't push. Don't believe me?"

"I'm just still trying to wrap my mind around it. But if you really mean it, then of course I do," Pepper happily replied.

"Good. So..." Tony trailed off, thinking about how he was going to phrase his next question. "Your last relationship lasted almost two years and you guys never once-"

Pepper shook her head.

"Huh," he thought out loud. "But he never-"

"He's a guy. Of course he tried."

"And he never cheated on you."

"What? Just because we never did it, you think he cheated on me?"

"Or that he's gay." He learned immediately after it was just him that found the comment amusing. "Look, you're the one who said it. He's a guy. If he wanted sex and you weren't offering, he found it some place else. It's kinda like a default setting."

She knew his response was reasonable - and call her whatever you want...blind, stupid, ignorant - but she'd like to believe Robert had never hurt her in that way.

"Not all guys are like that, but the majority of them are."

"Okay, so what about you then? Are you in that group?"

"Nope," he dismissed. "I mean, think about it. When have I ever been majority material," he joked to rid some of the tension.

Pepper laughed. Tony was pretty far away from normal.

"Can I just say something," he asked before blurting out his thoughts. Pepper nodded, smiling softly. He wasn't trying to upset her or belittle her past relationship and he wanted her to know that. "I kinda think waiting until you're ready is stupid." It didn't surprise him when she raised her brow at him. "Life is too short for that, and when you factor in unpredictable circumstances, being ready is pointless and a waste of time. You can rehearse a speech until you have it down pat, but does it mean you won't mess up when you're actually there? People worry about getting things right, perfecting this and that, but the outcome is never predictable. There are no guarantees. I guess people do it to make themselves more prepared, but in the end, your nerves are still there and they'll continue to eat at you until whatever it is that you had set out to do is accomplished. Kinda of like me and heights. I'm not gonna wake up one morning and think 'let's go on that 80 foot drop coaster I've been avoiding my entire life because I feel like I'm ready for it today.' If I ever do say that, it's because I choose in that exact moment to do it or because I put myself in a situation that gives me no choice but to do it. I'm not saying you should force yourself into it, because you shouldn't, but live in the moment. Don't let fear of the unknown run your life."

"Wow, I never expected to hear anything like that come out of you." His mouth curved upwards and she agreed with everything he had said, taking his words to heart. She still wasn't ready, but it was because she refused to step out her comfort zone. How far was she going to get without taking the simplest of steps?

"Yeah, surprised me, too. But, really, think about it. You might be scared, but just remember you're not alone."

Pepper looked up, surprised to hear that. "You're scared," she repeated.

"Scared, nervous? You're the first girl I'm gonna be with who I care about and I'm not sure how it's gonna go," he said with a small shrug of his shoulders. "But don't panic, I'll still be amazing. You'll be like 'what is wrong with me? Why'd I wait that long? It was stupid.'"

"Wow, that sounded pretty confident. Are you sure you should be promising things like that," Pepper teased.

"Guess you'll have to find out," Tony said, the smug smile still on his face.

Her cheeks flush and she laughed embarrassingly at his comment. "Sure. I'll be looking forward to that then."

"Alright." The tension was finally gone and they could finally relax and enjoy the night again. "So you didn't answer me before. Come back to my place tonight? We can order pepperoni pizza and eat ice cream."

She looked at him with raised brows.

"Was I the only one who thought the portion sizes were way too small?"

She chuckled. "Ice cream does sound good."

Tony gently put his hand on the small of her back as they made their way down the stairs of the balcony and into the parking lot.

"How do you even stay fit with all the junk food you eat," Pepper asked.

"Fast metabolism."

She sighed, envious of that. "You've got the whole package, don't you?"

Tony didn't bother to hide the smirk on his face. "Well..."

She cut him off. "Don't even finish that sentence."

He glanced at her for a second before laughing. "I was gonna say you do, too!"

"Right."

"Fine, be like that."

"I will."

"You're lucky I like you." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in as the valet went to get his car. Within minutes, they were on the streets and going back to Malibu.

As said, pizza had been delivered, ice cream had been consumed, and a movie had been picked.

She had fallen asleep on his shoulder during the climactic scene in _Up_ where Carl had no choice but to let go of his home and watch it float into the clouds. And, of course, it would land where it was supposed to all along. He had reservations about it, but she was right. It was good. He enjoyed it until the end.

He noticed that she had made herself comfortable on the right side of the bed coming out of the bathroom and smiled before getting in himself. He never thought about the future, he preferred the present. The people in his life had always seemed to let him down. He remembered being loved growing up. He remembered his mom taking him to the zoo and helping him feed the animals. He remembered his dad helping him rebuild the toy trains he'd taken apart and pushing him on the swings. He remembered a lot of things, but for some reason, as he grew up, things changed. He chalked it up as him not being important enough, as them having better things to do than take care of him. But he always had them for Christmas and that'd always been enough. He got presents and Santa had always given him his wish of his parents being home. Then it turned out he wasn't real. It devastated him. At that point he stopped caring and built a wall of defense up after that to prevent anything from hurting him again.

And now, slowly, things were looking up. He had opened himself up to possibilities. There was no reason to be narrow minded about the world. He was looking forward to this upcoming year and was excited to see what the future had in store for him. And that unpredictability he was talking about? It happened. At 2:49 in the morning, a call was placed. Howard and Maria Stark had been killed in a car accident.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, I can't believe I actually did that either. Please don't hate me for it!<strong>


	26. Reported You Dead

"Where are they," Tony asked instead. He'd just driven through the crime scene, remnants of its labeled tape stuck to the hood of his car, and had not listened to a word the law enforcer said.

"Commissioner Banks will explain. As of right now, you're trespassing. We need you to get-"

"Get your fucking hands off me," he snarled at the policeman. "Touch me again and I'll ruin you, I swear to God." His threat must have resonated with Officer Brighten because he had let go of his arm instantly.

"I don't care who you are," said Commissioner Banks. "Don't threaten an officer and expect to get away with it."

Tony scoffed at the man who had approached. "What are you gonna do? Arrest me in front of my dead parents?"

"Alright, there's no need for that." Obadiah walked up and apologized to the officers. "He's devastated. The kid's lashing out on anyone in his path."

"I understand, but rules have to-"

"What the fuck are you here for?"

Obadiah side glanced Tony's direction a second before refocusing his attention to the Commissioner. "Exhibit B."

The voices blurred once the officer in front of him walked off and what he'd been exposed to shattered all that was left of his bearings. Sadness. Hurt. Pain. Anger. Loss. They all came in without a care; it tore him down. He brushed past the adults, tears running down his cheeks. He hated himself for being so weak. For not being able to control his emotions. This couldn't be happening. Not to him. "No..." Five tears turned to ten, twenty, fifty. His heart ached, but most importantly, it told him to let go, that even the strongest people fell and were allowed to feel. A sob escaped his throat; his body began to tremble. What happened wasn't fair. Why them? Why his parents? There were worse people out there. Killers. Psychopaths. Rapists. Murderers. They deserved to leave the world the way his parents had. It wasn't fair that decent human beings had taken their place instead.

Tony sniffed, wiping his runny nose with the sleeve of his sweater, tears continuing to cascade down his cheeks to his chin. He couldn't control his breathing anymore. It turned erratic, short, and uncontrolled.

"Where..." He scanned the damages and couldn't see them. The car he'd been staring at the entire time? It was empty. "Where," he repeated, his voice laced with sorrow and heartbreak. He ran towards the car only to be stopped by a pair of strong hands. "Let me go!" He started kicking and screaming, but Obadiah tightened his hold around Tony's chest and took the beatings. "Let go! Let go of me!" Exhaustion wasn't going to wear him out. He refused to admit defeat, to give up.

"Come on, breathe. Don't wear yourself out." Tony didn't care what Obadiah was saying, but he didn't fight him when he guided him to the ground.

He shrugged Obadiah's hand off his shoulders and brought his knees to his chest and buried his face in them. No matter what he did, he couldn't cancel out the noise. Obadiah. The sirens. The strangers. The cops. They reminded him just how real this was. His parents had died. He was alone in the world.

Obadiah rubbed Tony's back soothingly and shook his head. It pained him to see Tony like this. Howard and him were brothers and he considered Tony a son. Rest assured, justice would be served.

Tony looked up and wiped his cheeks. He could feel a rash settling in, his skin was cracking. "What happened," he quietly asked, his voice cracked.

"Car explosion. Somebody must have put explosives underneath the car during the benefit. I had them pull up their security system; eight minutes were erased. We're doing our best to get it back."

"Send it to me. JARVIS can analyze it."

"Don't put yourself through that. I'll get our best guys on it and personally be there so nothing-"

"What? You think I'm just gonna stand here and let whoever did this get away with it," Tony angrily interrupted. "I'm not fucking useless." He stood up, fueled with determination, promising himself he'd find out who did this right then and there. He'd make them pay. "You do what you want; I'll do what I want. Send me the tapes or I'll just hack in. Just because dad's gone, you think you control the company? You think you get to decide what happens? You don't. I do. Stark Industries is mine. Not yours. You better know your place, because unlike dad, I don't need you and I never did."

"Okay, point taken." Obadiah took a step back and raised both his hands in defense. "I just don't want you in any more pain than you're already in. You mean so much to me. I've watched you grow up; seeing you like this hurts right here." He pat his heart and smiled sadly. "Because nothing I do will bring them back, nothing I do can help you get through this, but what I can do is be useful. Lash out all you want. I'll take it. I promised your parents if anything happened, I'd look after you. Like it or not, I intend to. You may hate me for it, but at least they'll be someone to come to when you need it."

"Right, cause I can count on you," Tony responded in a mocking manner. "Dad told me why he wanted me at Stark Industries. You don't think I can run the company when I turn 21."

"No, no, no, no, no," Obadiah quickly said. "I simply told him you'd rather spend your time elsewhere. Finish college, travel, meet new people. Was I wrong to be considerate of your feelings? Think about it." He sighed, this wasn't the place to argue. "Let's go home. Sleep, rest; calm down."

Silence filled the space between them for what felt like hours until Tony decided to respond. "Okay." He didn't see a point in arguing again. "They're everywhere, right?"

Obadiah nodded.

His jaw clenched, fresh tears trickling down his eyelashes.

"I'll take you home. Spend the night."

"Don't bother. I don't need you watching me like I'm four."

"Your hands are trembling. Not safe."

"Take your concern and shove it up your ass. I said 'don't bother' so quit pestering me about it." Without another word, Tony walked off and back to his car. He held his head up, tried to stay strong, but anyone in their right mind could see he was seconds away from falling apart. Him included.

* * *

><p>Pepper awoke to a loud crash. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. This wasn't the first time she heard it. Curious, she glanced around and finally noticed the space next to her was unoccupied. <em>Where is he?<em> She frowned. When had he gotten out? Her eyes caught the time and it deepened her frown. It was a little past five in the morning.

"Miss Potts, I insist you go back to sleep."

JARVIS' voice made her heart skip a beat.

"I'm terribly sorry for startling you," the AI apologized, his voice lowered to a whisper.

"What's wrong with him," Pepper asked.

"I'm afraid it's not in my right to say, but he's in no immediate danger at the moment."

That only made her more concerned. Another crash. _That's it. I'm finding out what's happening._

JARVIS kept silent. After all, he couldn't stop her from leaving. He'd just been told to tell her not to go downstairs. His inventor never said anything about stopping her. Besides, it'd be best if she weren't kept in the dark.

There was broken glass everywhere, mirrors were shattered, furniture was flipped. Tony was sitting at the island counter, his back facing her with a half empty bottle of scotch and an unfinished roll of chocolate chip cookie dough. His knuckles were scraped. The glass he'd been holding came in contact with the kitchen wall with great force and it scared her. He poured another, drank it down, and hurled it at the wall. _So that's what the noise is_, she thought.

He was hurting all over, but it was fine. Pain was good. It was a way to feel numb...to forget the pain associated with loss. Or that's what he told himself.

She placed her hand over his and stopped him from pouring another glass. He glanced up and smiled with every ounce of strength he had left.

"You ever said something you wish you could take back only to realize it's too late? The damage is done and nothing you do will change that?"

"Where is this coming from," Pepper asked, her question laced with grave concern.

He fought back the tears threatening to fall.

"What happened?" She leaned forward and rubbed the sad creases off Tony's forehead, her palm cupping his cheek. He instinctively leaned towards her touch, but said nothing.

It wasn't her job to take care of him, he told himself.

His eyes were teary, his cheeks were rosy and flaky.

She retracted her hands and frowned. _What happened that made him do this? Why's he afraid to tell me? It couldn't be too bad, could it? _She could see him battling his thoughts and decided to help him out.

"What you said before, about regrets," Pepper began, getting his attention, to which she was thankful for. "That's what you're referring to, right? I have one." She cleared her throat, mentally preparing herself. Turned out she didn't need to.

"I think dad believed me when I said I wished he had died in the explosion."

She shook her head. "He didn't. Not even for a second."

"But I meant it when I said it."

"You were mad at him," Pepper replied to his soft whisper.

"But it doesn't change the fact that I said it."

"Doesn't matter. I think it's kinda within our rights to say we hate them once in awhile."

"Sure," Tony mumbled.

"Is that what happened," Pepper carefully asked.

"You mean the mess? Yeah, something like that," he retorted, his voice void of emotion.

She surveyed the room and took in the damage. _Did Tony and his dad get into an argument or something?_

_I wish that was what happened._

"You should go upstairs and sleep," he opted to say instead. "It's late."

"Alright. Are you coming," Pepper asked, getting off the seat.

He didn't bother to look at her, not that he had been during the span of their conversation. "In a minute."

"Sure," Pepper smiled. She was still worried, but it was clear he wouldn't be telling her anything any time soon and there was no reason to push it. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her chest.

He welcomed the comfort and tightened the grip on her shirt. He needed this more than Pepper realized.

"I'll wait for you upstairs," she said, kissing his neck before pulling back.

He watched Pepper go and sighed. He had come so close to telling her the truth just then. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but they refused to roll off. _Whatever. It doesn't matter. She's gone. _180. That was how much degrees his life had turned in a matter of hours. It was funny - he'd gone the majority of his life without them and had never once shed tears for that, but now that they were physically gone, he was reduced to this.

And he never did go upstairs that night, leaving Pepper wide awake and wondering what had happened.

The sun rose the next morning and its rays pierced through the windows waking him up. He lifted his head off the counter and sorted the kinks in his neck that could only come from such a sleeping position. He got up and slowly walked upstairs only to find a sleeping Pepper. He smiled for a second and frowned the next. _Didn't she tell me she'd be waiting for me?_

He shrugged and proceeded into the bathroom. Steam filled the air within minutes and he closed the shower door. The water pressure systems did their work and he leaned his head against the tiled walls. His muscles were getting a much needed massage. It felt wonderful. Like rain washing the sadness away. But he knew he couldn't stay here forever. He'd have to go out...face the music. The press. The paparazzi. Reporters. Their questions. Stark Industries. That was the most important thing, right? Business. It was disgusting.

He grabbed a towel off the shelf and opted not to shave. He didn't have the effort.

"Oh my God!"

"What the hell," he yelled, clutching his towel tightly. She had scared him to death.

"I didn't see anything, I swear," Pepper hastily said, turning her back towards him.

For the first time in what felt like forever, he laughed. "Just don't scream like that again. It's okay to look, Pep. I'm not naked or anything."

"Sorry, I panicked." She turned around and momentarily glanced over Tony's body.

"I thought you'd still be asleep when I got out so I decided to not bring clothes with me," he explained; feeling slightly embarrassed of the fact that he was standing in front of Pepper in almost nothing. Plus, he wasn't sure she was telling the truth. "Are you sure you didn't see anything? We need to even the score if you did."

"What," Pepper said outrageously.

He walked up to her, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I didn't!" She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. All Tony did was stand there and she couldn't help but take in the tiny droplets of water dripping down his hair, chest, and eventually to the towel.

"Pepper, you're blushing."

"Can you put clothes on?"

"You just ignored me. That is evidence right there."

"I didn't! You were already like three fourth the way wrapped by the time I screamed."

"By the time you screamed," he repeated.

She nodded.

"And before that," he asked, hoping to catch her in a lie.

"I, uh," she stammered, looking around. "I was trying to get signal. I can call, but I can't use data."

"Something probably malfunctioned," he suggested, which was far from the truth. He had told JARVIS to bounce her signals. "But don't change the subject. You saw my junk, didn't you? Which means..." He went for the hem of her shirt and smirked.

Pepper grabbed his wrist, stopping him. "Maybe if you came up last night, like you said, I'd let you."

"But I'm here now," he replied, the smile still on his face.

"I'm serious, Tony," Pepper with a drab expression. "Tell me what happened."

"Can I explain myself later," he asked, running a hand through his hair as he walked into his closet.

She followed him. "No. You're just gonna avoid it until I bring it up again and I really don't want to."

His back was towards her and his posture immediately stiffened. Why couldn't Pepper just let it go?

"I need to change." At that second, Tony could literally feel her cross her arms and stare him down.

"Fine." She sighed and turned around.

Once he finished, he glanced over at Pepper and frowned. He didn't want to fight, but he didn't want to talk about it either. It was too bad he couldn't have it both ways, so which was the lesser evil of the two?

"Look, maybe you don't want to talk about it, but you can't pretend like it didn't happen either," Pepper began once she heard him clear his throat. "You scared me last night. All that noise; all the broken glass."

"I'm not pretending it didn't happen. I can't even if I wanted to."

"Then why not tell me about it? I can help."

"No, you can't," Tony said earnestly. "No one could or can, Pep."

"But you can't-"

"Just drop it, Pepper," he told her more determinedly.

Pepper closed her eyes for a brief second and huffed. "You are so stubborn."

"Well, then, that makes two of us."

They were at a standstill and it quickly turned into a silent battle of who would break first.

"You know this is what a relationship is, right? We tell each other things and we help each other out," she said gently. "Get through it together. Both of us have to give ourselves into it or else it just won't head anywhere. Do you get that? Hiding things leads to miscommunication, trust issues, arguments; and before you know it, things will be so bad that we don't even care anymore. I don't want that to happen cause sooner or later it's going to lead to a break up."

Pepper probably didn't mean for her words to come off ultimatum-like, but they had, and it rubbed him the wrong way. "That sounded like an ultimatum."

"No, it's..." She stopped and walked up to him. "It isn't. I'm just telling the truth. Relationships have certain foundations that make them work. There's respect. There's communication. I mean, how am I going to know what you're thinking or if you have issues with me if you never bring it up? Then you need to actually like the person; not just physically. There's this thing called the 'honeymoon phase,' where everything is perfect, nothing's wrong, but that'll eventually pass and you have to ask yourself do I stand this person? Are they worth my time and effort? Do they feel the same? Commitment's also a foundation; trust. We need to share stuff, no matter how difficult it is, Tony. If one of the foundations break, and we do nothing to fix it, it'll start cracking; fall apart."

His glare was still present and now his hands were balled into fists. "I don't need to hear this." Tony picked up his jacket and strode past her.

"Oh, so you're just gonna go," Pepper asked to his retreating form.

"Yeah," he responded, turning around. "I've got stuff to do today and you're getting in the way of that. Grab your things, I'm taking you back."

The ride was completely silent. He kept his eyes on the road and she kept them up front. She'd steal glances at him once in awhile to see if his expression changed, but it hadn't. _What's wrong with him? _She felt useless and he refused to talk about it.

And the way he had dismissed their conversation? It infuriated her.

Tony finally pulled up to Pepper's driveway and turned off the ignition. He had upset her back at his house and he'd been feeling terrible for it.

"Pepper," he said, stopping her from opening the door. He heard her take a deep breath before turning to look at him.

"Look, about what happened earlier, I'm sorry. I really-"

"Don't bother. I got the point. I won't bring it up again."

Without another word, she got out of his Audi.

"I wasn't done," he huffed, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. He was frustrated with himself. He'd come by and talk to her when things settled.

"He's such a pain in the ass," Pepper muttered as she heard him drive off. She stuck her key in the lock and walked in the house only to find her parents and her brother looking at her with expectancy. "What?"

Victoria got up first, then her dad and brother. "How's he doing?"

Confusion crossed her face. "What are you talking about? Tony?"

"Yeah. Who else," Peter asked.

She looked at her brother, still confused.

"His parents died last night. Someone put explosives in their car."

"What," Pepper asked in total shock. "No, that can't be right. He would had told me."

"He didn't tell you," Richard repeated more as a statement than a question.

"No," she quietly answered. Her eyebrows creased and she involuntarily looked out the window to see if he had came back. She couldn't believe this. _Everything makes sens_e. She mentally hit herself upside the head. _I was such a jerk just then. _

_I'm gonna call him, _she thought to herself. _Then I'm gonna yell at him for being stupid._

She went upstairs to her room and dialed his number. Voicemail. She dialed four more times and got the same result. Her hands flew to the keyboard and opened a new message: **Tony, seriously, I need you to call me back. I'm sorry about earlier. I had no idea what happened. Why didn't you tell me? Never mind, it doesn't matter. Drive safe, alright? I'm worried about you. Please don't do anything stupid.**

"Did Tony answer?"

"No," Pepper responded, wiping away the beginning of tears. "Why didn't he tell me? I'm his girlfriend."

"Give him time," Victoria said, comforting her daughter. "I'm sure he wanted to, but, honey, it's not easy to say out loud."

"I got mad because he wouldn't tell me what happened last night. Mom, you should have seen him. Tony was a mess. I guess I never expected it to be because of something like this. I was such a jerk to him."

"But it also tells him something. That you care about him and he will appreciate that."

"Yeah," Pepper sighed, looking down at her phone. She just wanted him to call back.

It turned out he never did call. He never even answered her text. Weeks passed. No word. He hadn't shown up at school. She missed him. How was he? What was he doing? Was he taking care of himself? She had to have almost hit the dial button a million times already. She'd just about given up on ever hearing from him again. Then, on finals week, just days before Christmas, he strolled into lab and sat next to her.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, I can't believe it's been an entire year since this little story was published! :)<strong>


	27. Fears and Ghosts

**Here you go, short and sweet:**

* * *

><p>He couldn't keep his leg from shaking. The heel of his shoe hadn't touched the ground for minutes. He was sitting on a bench right outside the classroom waiting for her to come out.<p>

"What's taking so long," he mumbled, placing his hand on his leg. His action proved useless, as the nervous twitching continued.

He glanced at the clock and frowned. Maybe he shouldn't had finished his final so early. Maybe he should had showed up late all together. He didn't need two hours to complete a test. But it was simple, was it not? Truth or false. Short answers. Multiple choice. He looked up each time the door opened, but to no avail was Pepper. Was she purposely taking forever? He messed up, he knew, and each time seconds passed, he felt less confident in his abilities to explain his actions.

"Hi," he softly said, standing up once he noticed her walking out the door. He stilled where he stood, not knowing if he should go up to her.

Her eyes found his, and although she was glad Tony had stayed for her, she didn't show it.

Her cold response stopped him dead in his tracks. Even factoring in their current situation, he expected Pepper to be happy to see him. "What's wrong," he automatically asked.

She couldn't believe he had asked that. Out of all the things he could had started off with, he went with what's wrong. Did he not get the fact that it was wrong of him to have ignored her for three weeks?

A simple 'I don't want to be bothered' would have been enough.

"It's just been me my entire life. Mom and dad were always in New York on business. It was normal I didn't see them for weeks, sometimes months. That's sad, isn't it? I was this new life they created and instead of watching and helping me grow up, they figured Stark Industries was more important, that the company needed more attention than I did. I got over it eventually and told myself I couldn't count on them, couldn't count on anyone. I learned how to be self reliant; it's worked for me since."

He cleared his throat, shoved his hands in his pockets, and took a couple steps forward. "I'm sorry about not telling you. I wanted to, really, but I just couldn't stand hearing the condolences, the everything is going to be alright, it'll get better when it never will. Nothing ever will. They're gone, and this is the first time I feel alright about it; that's why I'm here. I just needed to go through that process alone and maybe my way wasn't right, but I don't know anything else. It's what I had. It's what I go to. If I made you feel like I don't care, or didn't trust you, then I'm sorry. I never meant to do that."

Her stance loosened at his words and she couldn't help but take in his appearance. Tony looked no different than when she'd last seen him.

"You know what sucks? I was just getting parents. It's like when you came into my life, everything became better," he sniffed, using the back of his hand to wipe away the tears that were starting to form. "I've spent more time with my mom than I have since I was a kid and dad and I can finally be in the same room together without arguing. People get mad at their parents for meddling in their lives, but if you think about it, they do it because they care about you. Like yours. They don't think I'm good enough and the truth is I'm not. They want what's best for you, they don't want you to get hurt and even if they don't agree, seeing you happy is what matters. Do you know what I would give to have experienced that just once in my entire life? Do you know, if I think about it, the only time I ever came close to that was when I almost died? They pestered the nurses, the doctor, they did everything they could for me. The only thing on their mind was me and for that week I felt like they cared, that they always cared but just had a dumb way of showing it. Everything's been great since and then this happened. Some dipshit thought it'd be fun to attach C4's to their car, blow them into pieces. It's not fair. Or right. Nothing good in my life ever stays and I don't get it at all. I'm not a bad person, so why do all these bad things happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? Because I would really like the answer to that."

He took a shaky breath and continued. "I try very hard to not screw up and I know I was a jerk a couple weeks ago, so I'm sorry. I'm trying and learning as I go and that's what matters, isn't it," he asked, staring deep into her eyes, searching for the answer. "I know I ignored you. I know I shouldn't had done that and I feel bad I did. But, Pepper, I've already told you stuff I've never told anyone and it scares me. What may seem insignificant to you isn't to me, and if you can't accept that, then too bad. I put 110% into this relationship. I do my best and if that's not good enough for you, then leave because I'd rather you do it now than somewhere down the line."

Pepper sighed softly and closed the remaining distance between them. Grabbing his hand, she gave him a comforting squeeze. "Tony, I have no plans on leaving. If I had this picture of who I wanted you to be, I wouldn't had gone out with you to begin with. I was really worried about you and it was inconsiderate of me to think you didn't take our relationship as seriously as I do. I thought you had fought with your dad. I never thought it was something as serious as it was and I'm sorry for pushing you. It was selfish. I know how much effort you put in and I've never once told you I appreciate it. And if handling this by yourself is what you want, fine. What do I know about what you're going through? No one knows you better than you, but just know if you need somebody to talk to, I'm here and willing to listen."

Tony shot her a small smile and looked down at her hand. He had missed her a lot over these past few weeks and her words brought him comfort. "Thanks, Pepper." Without thinking, he enveloped her in a hug, clinging onto her like she was his life line.

"Your parents love you. Always did and always will, so don't question that for even a second."

He reached out and intertwined their hands, giving it a light squeeze. Sometimes saying nothing was better than anything. The meaning was there and it was palpable. He leaned in towards her and kissed Pepper with urgency, which she quickly matched. In that moment, all that mattered was her. Pulling back, a soft smile crossed his face. He couldn't even begin to comprehend why she could make him feel things he hadn't before. His lips captured hers again, only this time it was passionate. He tugged on her bottom lip, his tongue flicking gently against hers as her hand tenderly stroked the nape of his neck.

"We're going to get in trouble," she whispered as Tony began placing kisses down her jawline.

"Relax, no teacher wants to assign detention on the last day of school," he murmured against her skin. "And we've got three weeks worth of kissing to make up so I intend to start on that as soon as possible."

"Not here," she said, pulling back, though she didn't complain when he gave her a quick kiss.

"You should embrace naughtiness for once, Pepperpot. I know you're just dying to try it out."

"Pepperpot," she repeated, her eyebrows shooting through the roof.

He nodded. "Sounds great, doesn't it? And, no, before you get mad, I didn't name you after a soup. I came up with it all by myself until JARVIS had to open his mouth and inform me about it," he said, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Pepperpot's worse than Pep. Stick to Pep," she told him, but the smile curving the corner of her lips said otherwise. The nickname wasn't original, but it was cute, and it was the thought that counted.

He shook his head. "Nah, I've got a feeling Pepperpot's here to stay."

"I think it's growing on me anyway," she chuckled.

Before they knew it, a familiar tension reappeared.

"Are you really alright," Pepper asked, her voice laced with concern.

Tony averted his gaze for a second. Pain and heartache returned to the forefront and he clenched his jaw to keep his emotions at bay. "How can I be? But I do feel better than I ever had and I'm just going with it. What else can I do? I'm tired of crying. It won't change anything. I'm tired of hating the world. Shit happens. I think I'm gonna go day by day; try not to think about it too much." At least that was what he hoped. He had did nothing these twenty days and it tired him to the point where he just hated the way he was living. He wanted his life back and he would fight tooth and nail to get there.

And being with her helped. She got his mind off his parents, like he wanted. He was drained, mentally and physically. He had never been an open person and he was glad he was making strides with Pepper.

She nodded her head in agreement. "When's the last time you slept?"

Now that was a question she didn't want to answer to. "I'm not sure."

"You look horrible." He had bags under his eyes, his usual pristine hairstyle was unstyled, and he hadn't bothered to shave. Though she couldn't complain about the latter. He was sexy with a bit of stubble.

Tony scoffed and sarcastically said, "Gee, thanks. I didn't notice that."

Pepper gave him a wry smile and grabbed his hand, both of them making their way to his car. "Come on, like you said, we've got three weeks worth of kissing to make up."


	28. Hearts Beat As One

"He's so cute when he's sleeping."

"Are you hitting on my boyfriend," Pepper asked, looking up from where she sat.

"I'm just saying," her best friend responded with a roll of her eyes. "Is it weird to be incredibly jealous of his lashes? They're so thick."

"I feel the same." She looked at Tony and sighed. He had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the bed and it worried her just how much sleep he had gotten over the last three weeks. "Just don't mention it to him. I'll never hear the end of it."

"Yeah, his ego doesn't need to be larger than it already is," Morgan agreed. "He looks good, all things considering. I don't think I would be able to leave my room if I were in his position."

"I think it's just as much pretend as it is him wanting to move on."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Morgan genuinely said as she picked up the black colored nail polish for herself. "He's got you to take care of him, if you know what I mean." She smirked to further the insinuations.

Pepper chuckled and shook her head. "Just focus on your own life."

"Hey, I tell you everything. You could extend the courtesy, Pepper."

"If sex is what you're getting at, then no, we haven't had sex yet."

Morgan sat her brush down and groaned in frustration. "What are you doing? You're killing me. Look at him. He's a wounded puppy just waiting to be rescued. How do you not want to ride that? Cause if he-"

"What the hell is wrong with you? What if he wakes up and-"

"Don't be so overdramatic. You said he was as good as dead."

"Remind me again why we're friends? Because I can't see it."

"We sat next to each other in kindergarten. We were meant to be. Did I tell you dad's sure he'll get the job? You know what that means? We'll get to see each other all the time again," Morgan happily said.

"I'm hoping he gets it. I really like the friends I made here, but they're not you."

"Me, too. Poor Emma, she's gonna be alone, and for senior year? We're terrible."

"She's got her water polo friends. Jacob, too. She thinks he's the one."

"Yeah, right. I say another month before Emma realizes it is not just rainbows and butterflies."

All of a sudden a honk is heard outside and they both knew who it was. Morgan's break began a week earlier than hers and she had come up with her father for his job interview at UCLA. Today was her last day in Malibu.

"Tell your parents I'm sorry I missed them," Morgan said, slamming the trunk of the car down.

"I will." They both exchanged the same sad look and hugged each other. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Ditto. Let's Skype once I'm back."

"Deal."

With a wave, Morgan got in the car and her father drove off. Pepper smiled and made her way inside.

In her room, Tony had shot up in bed. "You're alright," he told himself as he attempted to normalize his breathing.

The door creaked open and he glanced up on instinct.

"I'm fine," he told Pepper, seeing the immediate concerned look on her face. "Just give me a second."

His breathing was still jagged and he didn't say anything when she walked up to him. She wanted to do something; this was exactly what she'd been afraid of. It wasn't healthy to keep things bottled inside.

Pepper tried to rub his back for comfort, but he waved her hand off. His heart felt like it was constricting ten times harder than it should be, which created an overwhelming sense of pain. "Don't touch me."

"Tony..."

"I said don't touch me," he told her again. He still hadn't turned to look at her and he was scared to.

"It's okay," she softly said, ignoring his wishes and doing it anyways. It didn't surprise her when he didn't stop her.

"I have a hard time sleeping," he confessed in a whisper. "Ever since my accident at the warehouse."

"Well, that's understandable."

Tony hesitantly met her eyes and took a deep breath. "Sometimes it's better than others, but it's always the same thing. Explosion knocks me into the water, I get this suffocating feeling, and then it turns black. Sometimes I wake up at the hospital, but most of the time I don't, and I find myself watching it all play out because I know I'm not gonna make it. Mom's crying her eyes out, dad's trying to comfort her while barking out orders. I can handle that, it's just a horrible memory. So is this, but I can't. I can place myself at the scene of the crime. I know where it happened, how it happened, the after effects, so I have these dreams about it. This time I was in the car with them, witnessing everything in detail and it's..." He looked down and clenched his jaw. "I just wanna sleep, you know? No dreams. Nothing."

She curled into him and put her head on his shoulder, her hand intertwined with his as she placed a kiss on the sleeve of his shirt.

He let out an exasperated breath. "I'm so fucking messed up." He turned to look at Pepper, who instantly met his gaze. "Aren't I?"

"No," Pepper disagreed, shaking her head. "At least not as much as you think. We're all a little messed up. That's what makes us different. It's what makes us who we are, and the kind of person you are, I wouldn't trade him for anything."

The sides of Tony's lips curve up, and before he could get a word out, she had pulled him in for a deep kiss. His body towered over hers; hands positioned on either side of her body, effectively trapping her.

"Are you gonna fall asleep again," she playfully asked, lightly tracing her finger along his neck.

"No," he said, staring intently into her eyes. "What happened to that girl? The brunette that-"

"Morgan," Pepper corrected. "She left. Back to Maryland."

Tony noted the sadness in her voice and gave her a reassuring smile. "Sorry. She looked nice."

"You've met her before. At Build-A-Bear? You hit on her."

"Ooh," he remembered. "You know what I also remember about that day? You being jealous."

"Jealous," Pepper repeated. "Jealous?" Her voice raised. "I was not jealous."

"Oh, come on. You practically cock blocked me."

"Tony, I wasn't jealous. I would had let her go to your party if she wanted."

"Jealous." He couldn't help but say it again. "You were jealous. What would you have done if-"

"Are you asking me to kick you? Because I will."

"Got it. Best friend's off limit. Relax, Pepperpot."

"Good." Pepper wrapped her arm around his neck and dragged him in until his face was centimeters from hers. Her tongue ran across his bottom lip and he opened his mouth in anticipation. To his surprise, nothing happened.

He glanced at her and saw a smirk on her face. "You're so gonna regret that." With his arm wrapped around her waist, he lifted her up and tossed her on the opposite end of the bed. Her laughter filled the air and he loved every second of it.

The mood quickly changed as Tony cupped her cheek and slowly kissed her. She parted her lips and invited him in, wrapping her arms behind his neck and pulling him closer.

He needed this. Her. Whatever you called it. Grief. Pain. Heartache. He was tired of it, tired of feeling it. He wanted to go to a place where only joy and pleasure existed. Was it too much to ask, would she let him? Did she know she was the only person he trusted to give him the comfort he was desperately searching for?

She could lightly feel his fingers trailing down the length of her leg towards her inner thigh and it lit up a burning desire in her. His mouth was on her neck making marks and she couldn't help but moan. He was doing everything right. Her hand raked through his hair as she bit her lip. Her breathing was growing short; she could feel her heart rate increasing at an exponential rate with every passing second.

It took her several minutes before she realized this was about to happen. Her blue eyes met his brown ones and she knew he had come to the similiar conclusion. No words had to be said. It was a nonverbal agreement they both shared. She brought his lips down to hers and as their tongues danced together, she smiled. There was something incredibly genuine about his actions tonight and it brought her great comfort to know he had never done this with anyone else. Tonight wasn't just special for her, but for him, too, and the thought of that had her heart swimming in utter happiness.

He settled between her legs and groaned at the feeling of their hips instantly grinding against each other's. Her hand grabbed the bottom of his shirt and with help it was tossed onto the floor. With her legs wrapped around him, she pulled him in, feeling his arousal pressing against her thigh. His lips leave hers and he glanced down at her. She looked beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed, her chest was rising and falling at an accelerated rate, and she was staring back at him with a smile.

He bent down and kissed her tenderly as his body rubbed against hers. His hands pulled hers off his chest to grab the hem of her shirt. It, too, was carelessly tossed behind them. He kissed a fiery trail down her body as his hand worked on the belt of his jeans. He eventually moved up and slid onto the bed, pressing himself against her form and kissing her deeply. Her eyes were closed and she was panting with every breath as she felt his hand go down her cheek, laced covered breasts, her stomach, to her last article of clothing. She could feel his fingers slowly sliding under her shorts and inside her underwear.

"Wait," Pepper whispered breathlessly, grabbing his wrist.

"Do you want to stop?" He meant every word he said to her at the benefit. He would never make Pepper do anything she wasn't comfortable with. He brought his hand out of her grasp and gave her space.

Pepper smiled and brought her knees to her chest, her arms wrapping around them. "You don't have to start avoiding me like the plague."

Tony lightly shrugged, a bashful look on his face.

"I didn't stop you cause I had second thoughts. I stopped cause..." She trailed off, hesitant.

He knew what she was thinking. "You're afraid."

She nodded, averting her gaze. She couldn't look at Tony.

"Come here," he said, coaxing her to sit closer to him. He put a finger to her chin and tilted her head up. "I'll help you. We'll take things slow. If you get scared or you feel like you can't, we'll stop. I promise."

"What if you regret-"

"Don't talk like that. You could never disappoint me," he told her honestly. He smiled and reassured her with a squeeze of her hand.

She looked into his brown eyes and nodded. Despite her nerves, she wanted to be with him and didn't want her anxiety to get in the way of that. She had to cease this moment, take a leap of faith; maybe she'd realize after there was never anything to be scared of to begin with.

He leaned in and pressed a quick but meaningful kiss on her lips. "Okay," he asked, just to be sure.

Pepper didn't answer. Instead she cupped her hands gently on each side of his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss that matched those he'd given her earlier. His grip on her tightened as he shifted them back down on the bed.

He leaned on his arm, his torso pressed against her chest. He brushed a few strands of her hair to the side and settled on her cheek, his thumb carressing her skin. "You sure you wanna do this? We don't-"

"Tony, I want this," she interrupted, smiling. "But could you shut the door? The last thing I need is Peter passing by and seeing firsthand what we're doing."

"Good idea." He got off the bed and did as Pepper wanted. "Maybe we should play some music, too."

"Why," Pepper asked, sitting up and watching as Tony went over to her speakers.

He looked over his shoulder and gave her a smirk. "You'll find out." He pushed play and Taylor Swift started playing. He raised his brow and looked at Pepper.

"Don't judge. She understands how I feel."

"Pep, we're not having sex to Taylor Swift."

"Change the album and you can take care of yourself," Pepper challenged.

"That's not nice." He pouted for a second. "This is actually not that bad. I think I can deal with her."

"That's what I thought." Pepper smiled and looped her fingers through the loops of his pants. They were unbuttoned and unzipped; barely hanging on to his hips. The outline of his briefs were showing.

"Somebody's impatient."

"I'm impatient," she asked, looking up at him as her hands move down, purposely brushing against his crotch to see how he would react.

His eyes closed and he inhaled sharply, feeling himself giving into her touch. "Alright, stop. You win."

"Thought so," she smirked as she got rid of the uncomfortable pressurized sensation he was feeling by helping him out his jeans. "There."

Tony leaned in and encapsulated her mouth in a feverish kiss. He pushed Pepper flat on her back and his hands went to her shorts, pulling them off; leaving her in nothing but a pair of matching yellow lacy bra and panties.

"Quit staring. I'm starting to feel self conscious."

He laughed as he watched Pepper try to cover herself up with the covers. It was cute how innocent she was. "You look hot. Can't help it."

She responded in a nonverbal manner. There was just something about seeing Pepper like this that made him all the more hot and bothered, but at the same time, he couldn't help but realize how intimate this was. He laced one of their hands together and held them above her head, kissing her. He watched her expressions change as his free hand drifted underneath the covers and towards her clothed center. Her body naturally arched and her head tossed back into the mattress. He felt her nails dig into his back and didn't mind. She was edging him on, telling him not to stop wordlessly and he had no plans to. Once he heard the whimper he'd been waiting for, he silenced it with a feverish kiss.

No matter what, he still got nervous, and with Pepper, the feeling increased ten fold. He couldn't believe they were doing this. It felt surreal. He had to look back up at her to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Would you come on already," she asked, breaking through his thoughts. Her thumb was running through the soft hair on his arm. "I swear, you're becoming the girl in this relationship."

Tony quickly recovered, determined to prove her wrong. "Last time I saw, you were the one with girl parts." To make his point, he took the covers off her chest and pulled her bra strap up off her shoulders.

"Don't even try."

"What," he innocently asked.

"Let go of it. I know what you wanna do."

"How'd you know," he frowned, relenting.

"You are not hard to figure out."

"Honestly, I wasn't gonna do it."

"Right."

He let go of her strap slowly. If Pepper hadn't called him out on it, he would had snapped it. The child in him wanted to. "Besides, I have better things to take care of at the moment. You know, like, showing you who the real girl is."

She cocked one of her brows. "Is that supposed to scare me? Because it didn't."

A grin crossed his lips. "Just wait."

She met his gaze and decided to challenge him. "All I hear is talk but no game."

"You did not just say that."

Pepper smiled. "Yep, I think I did."

"Take it back," he told Pepper as he leaned towards her.

With the smile still on her face, she shook her head no.

"Last chance."

"Not going to."

He captured her lips with the same feverish passion as before, biting her bottom lip as he heard breathy noises come out her throat. All of a sudden, he rolled over, taking her with him until she was laying on top him. His hands travel down the length of her back, taking the time out to unhook her bra in the process, and he settled on the swell of her bottom, cupping it gently to create friction as he took the kiss they were sharing to the next level.

He didn't know where he'd be if he hadn't approached Pepper that very first day of school. Because everything after that lead to this night, a night he would soon never forget. He didn't understand why she was so special. Was it because she was the first girl to ever turn him down? Maybe. But it could also be because he knew there was something different about her. She treated him like a human being. Sure, everyone did, but she did it differently. She didn't care about pleasing him or sparing his feelings. She was always straight with him and he had never come across anyone with enough courage to do that. It was refreshing.

For once, he wasn't sleeping with a girl for the sake of doing so, or to satisfy a sexual need, it was because he desired her. She was everything he wanted and whatever her reason was for turning him down five months ago, he didn't care. He didn't deserve her then, but today, he could honestly say he did. They had come a long way, he had come a long way. He wanted to hold her forever and never let her go, and knowing he felt this way especially after he'd sworn off relationships and love, it surprised him every time this thought crossed his mind. She made him believe the sky was the limit. That was the effect she had on him. Anything seemed possible. He put his heart on the line for her, and she did the same. No one in their right mind would try a relationship with him, so he never took the opportunity she had given him for granted. He would always cherish it and today he was finally going to show her firsthand just how much he appreciated it.


	29. Hello Happiness

Tony collapsed on top of her, the aftershocks still fading, his warm breath hitting her skin as he nuzzled himself closer to her. "I love you," he heavily panted into the crook of her neck.

She turned her head at his comment and a chuckle escaped her lips. "You're just saying that because I finally let you have sex with me."

"Hey," he huffed, lifting his head up.

"What? Did you honestly mean it?" Pepper waited for his answer, but he smirked instead, making the smile on her face grow wider with each passing second. "That's what I thought."

There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he spoke his next words. "Let's do it again."

"Tony, I am not your personal machine. You can't just use me whenever you feel like it."

"But you're so great at it."

Pepper dropped her head to his shoulder, blushing. Did he really mean that? Because his words felt good, right.

He finally managed enough strength to get off her, planting a kiss on her collarbone before rolling onto the unoccupied space of the bed with a content sigh.

"What are you thinking," she hesitantly asked, an insecure moment slipping past her mind.

He shook his head, grinned, and covered his face with his hands. "I can't believe I did that."

Pepper sat up and chuckled. She echoed his statement. She never felt so happy or alive and it was all Tony's doing.

"How do you feel," he asked, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Huh," she asked. Tony had sat up and was next to her, and in that moment, she realized just how naked she was. She clutched the sheets and covered her body, hiding herself from his very apparent wandering eyes. It felt like the heat had just been cranked up 1000 degrees.

"You know I've seen you naked already, right," he asked in a teasing tone as he watched the color of her cheeks deepen in color.

She swatted his hand away with a smile as he tried to pull the sheets off her. "Shut up."

"You're adorable," Tony chuckled, leaning up to kiss her on the cheek as he settled himself against the headboard, his laughter increasing as Pepper tossed part of the sheets over his lower half.

She wasn't used to this - having someone in her bed or having someone see her naked.

"Hey," he called out softly, nudging her with his foot to grab her attention. "Come here."

"I didn't peg you as the cuddling, affectionate type," Pepper teased.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "But you love it."

"I can get used to it."

"Do you know what you could do to make me like this more often?"

"Gee, I can't help but wonder," Pepper responded with a sigh for dramatic effect. It was all just playful teasing.

The comforting smile on his face warmed her heart.

Her cheeks blush. "This feels weird." _A bit awkward._

"Kinda, but we're still the same. Nothing's changed other than the fact that I can finally picture you naked." He smirked, causing Pepper to roll her eyes and give him a small shove. "See? Told ya. You still hit me for saying stupid things."

"That's because you deserve it." She felt him squeeze her waist lightly before his hand started rubbing up and down her side. "Sometimes I think you do it on purpose."

"I plead the fifth."

"You do know what pleading the fifth implies, right?"

"Nope, don't think I do," he lied.

"Really," Pepper asked, deciding to play along. "You-"

"Shut up." He took her by surprise when he quickly changed their positions, him on top of her. He kissed her and parted her lips with his tongue so he could enter her mouth. His weight shifted, one of his knees settling between her thighs as his mouth kissed its way towards her pulse point, taking a nip of the flushed skin.

"Do you know how much concealer I'm gonna have to put on to hide all these marks you gave me," Pepper asked, placing her hands on his cheeks to get his attention.

"Do you know how much it hurt when you bit my ear?"

"Wait, I did not bite your ear," she replied incredulously.

"Uh, yeah, you did. You were nibbling on it and then...you know what? I'll act it out."

"Don't you dare bite me."

Tony glanced back up at her. "So you're saying you did."

She quickly gave both his ears an once over and noted the fact that one did seem slightly redder than the other, but, still, she wouldn't admit to it. He'd just start bragging. "If I did, I don't remember."

"Right." He'd let her have this one. Plus, he liked it. _Pepper has a wild side. I knew it._

"What are you smiling about?"

"It's nothing important," he said, laying down next to her and pulling her closer. They laid in each other's arms, their legs tangled under the comforter he had pulled over them in case she got cold. He would rather her seek warmth from him, but he understood she needed time to process this. Still, her back was exposed, so he trailed his fingers down its expanse, which made her giggle slightly. And it wasn't just her that needed time to process this, too. Normally, he'd jet off to prevent everything that happened after sex, but with her, he didn't want to. He wanted more; he wanted to be close to her, share this experience with her.

Neither said a word, both of them enjoying each other's company.

It was only when she started dozing off that she realized it wasn't the best idea.

She opened her eyes, her eyelashes brushing against his skin. The sun had set, her room was dark, and the only noise she could hear was of him breathing. "Tony," she called out, lifting her head from where'd it been resting on his chest. She shifted in his embrace and paused for a second when she saw the sight in front of her. Tony had fallen asleep, and if she looked closely, there was a small smile on his lips. "Tony," she whispered, shaking his arm slightly. She knew he was exhausted, knew he needed rest, and it took all her strength to do this to him. "Tony." She called louder this time.

"Mmm," he mumbled, twitching his nose. "I'm sleeping."

"No, you're not." She pressed her lips against his neck and smiled when she noticed him opening one of his eyes to peer at her.

"I was."

"We need to get up."

Tony was puzzled. Why did he have to go? "I can't spend the night?"

"It's not that you can't. My parents are coming back soon; it's nine."

"So I'll put clothes on." He wasn't ready or willing to leave the comfort that was her bed. "Problem solved."

She shook his head at his logic and watched as he closed his eyes once again. "Come on," she prompted, crawling out of his embrace, to which he whimpered, and kissing the corner of his mouth. "I'm serious." She erupted in a fit of giggles when he pulled her on top of him, his hands settling on her butt, squeezing it. "Tony," she laughed, trying to escape, but all it did was make him hold her tighter.

He took a moment to glance at the clock. "It's 8:32. Why are you trying to get rid of me? I'm beginning to feel used," he frowned, mocking hurt.

"Stop staring at my chest," Pepper yelled, covering herself up with the duvet again, it having dropped due to Tony's impromptu attack. "You act like this is the first time you've ever seen boobs."

"Your boobs," he corrected. "Which I love, so if you'd just..." His fingers grab the hand that was holding the cotton material and he smiled at her, thinking just maybe if he did, she would let go.

"I thought you could picture me naked," she challenged.

"I can," Tony smirked, his hands on her thighs as she made herself comfortable in a straddling position, her legs to either side of him. "But it isn't the same thing. You need to help me out, Pep. I think the withdrawals are getting the best of me. Which is a compliment, by the way, if you didn't catch that. You know what? I don't think I give you enough of them. I liked what you had on today. I think you should wear it more often because it highlights your eye color. And, speaking of eyes, have I ever mentioned that they're really pretty? It's like an ocean in there." His hand gestures became more prevalent with every passing second, as did his rambling.

She finally had enough and silenced him by covering his mouth with her hands. With a suspicious tone, she spoke. "You're not saying all that stuff so I'll surrender and give you what you want, right?"

"Of course I'm not," he yelled, though the words came out muffled.

She could feel his smile under her fingers and decided to leave it be.

"And I resent that," Tony continued once she withdrew her fingers. "I try to be romantic and this is what I get? Remind me to never do it again."

"Okay, fine. Thanks for saying my eyes look like the ocean. No one has ever said that before."

"I'm original, Pepper. Get with it."

She started laughing uncontrollably, and at one point, choked on air.

Even he knew how ridiculous that comment was and she had him fighting back his own grin. He had to admit, he was a little more than scared taking their relationship to the next level, but it was fun and amazing. When her giggles finally settled, he sat up the best he could, his hands on the mattress to support himself, as she was still on him.

"You're okay, right," he asked softly, seriously, in hopes of transitioning their conversation into a different route.

"Yeah," she nodded, extricating herself from him and sitting off to the side next to him. "I don't regret it, Tony."

There was a smug smile on his face, an invisible patting of his own back, and she wanted to smack him, but it had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"I didn't hurt you," he asked lightly.

Pepper shook her head and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You were careful and you went out of your way to make me comfortable. I'm fine. Really," she insisted as she put her hand on his. "Don't worry about it. You don't need to."

"You're telling me the truth, right?" The last thing he wanted was for her to keep something like this to herself.

"I always tell you like it is," she replied. "It felt great."

He smiled. "Great?" His gaze warm; his eyes adoring.

It felt more than great, but he didn't need to know it. Let there be an air of mystery. "How about-"

"Haven't you been following along?"

"Alright, I get it. You loved it. A lot."

"And you didn't? Cause the noises-"

"Tony," Pepper exclaimed. "Could you quit embarrassing me?"

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't," Tony inquired.

"The perfect-"

"Careful. You don't wanna finish that sentence, Pep."

He was right. He'd never let her live it down.

"I need you to do something for me though," she said, her voice low and, to an extent, seductive.

He watched as Pepper scooted closer to him. "Yeah?"

"Something no other boyfriend has ever done for me before."

That caught his attention. His jaw unhinged.

"I need you..." She pulled Tony into the beginnings of a slow, sexy kiss. With her arms around his neck, she dragged him down onto the mattress with her. As soon as their kiss intensified, she stopped abruptly and pulled away. He made a dissatisfied noise and tried to close the distance between their lips, but ultimately failed.

"...to get your butt naked self out of my bed."

_I can't believe I feel for that. _He tried to reach out, stop her from leaving, but she was too quick. Before he knew it, she had gathered his clothes from the floor and had threw it at him. "You're mean."

Pepper stopped at the doorway and laughed. "What did you expect? Another round? Get dressed and then we'll talk about it."

"You know, if this is how you're like after sex, I don't know if I want another round."

"Fine with me," he heard her yell as she closed the door to the bathroom.

"Like I could ever refuse sex," Tony said to himself as he put his briefs on.

Pepper was right. This felt a bit weird, but it was a good kind of weird, because underneath it all, like he had told her earlier, they were still Pepper and Tony. Nothing changed. Everything was still there as it had been an hour ago. They were still a couple, they still bantered, and they still cared about each other.

He looked around the room and sighed upon hearing the shower being turned on. _I'm gonna be here for awhile. _And, all of a sudden, ideas came into his mind. To his credit, he did try to keep his mind off snooping. He did everything he possibly could, but, eventually, he couldn't stand it anymore. He was, by nature, a curious person, and Pepper's bedroom proved to be the perfect vehicle for it.

He got off the bed with a spring in his step and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Nothing in her desk drawers was worth pursuing. He opened her closet and looked through several outfits only to get bored. Nothing too provocative caught his eye, not that he was expecting it to; Pepper was a modest girl. He got on his knees and dragged out a box off the corner floor labeled 'sophomore year.' _Bingo. _He pulled out a yearbook - taking a good look through it - books, CDs to artists he'd never heard of before, and then something surprising caught his eyes. _No fucking way. _In blue and silver was a cheerleading outfit. _Pepper a cheerleader? Really? _She was going to have to put it on for him. She didn't have a choice. He'd bother her until she did.

Knowing nothing left in the box would top this, he got up and went over to the dresser nearest her closet. He could hear the shower still running. Smiling, he opened it. To his surprise, it was messy. It wasn't in the usual pristine style all her other stuff were, and it had him thinking she had something hidden underneath. He swift through socks, pajama shorts, and millions of camisoles only to come up short. "Aw," he pouted.

He continued onto the next drawer and was excited but freaked out at the same time. He was never comfortable around feminine products. "Gross." He opened the previous drawer and grabbed a pair of shorts to sweep them off to the side. "There we go," he told himself. "Ah," he said excitedly, raiding through the different types of bra and panties, noticing how every one had its own matching set.

"I knew I should have gave you a book or something."

Tony slammed the drawer shut at the sound of her voice and yelped. "This isn't what it looks like." It was exactly what it looked like...but he figured he could deny it still.

"And you're still not dressed." At least he was awake. She half expected him to have fallen asleep.

"Neither are you." He pointed at the towel she had on and walked up to her. "And you should know better than to leave me alone and unattended. I'm a little kid inside."

_As if I didn't know that. _Tony had as much of an attention span as a two year old did. "I need a change of clothes." Knowing better, he quickly stepped aside so Pepper could pass.

"Here," Pepper told him, grabbing a _Cosmopolitan_ from the basket near her desk. That should keep him preoccupied for ten more minutes.

He walked over and glanced at the magazine before her. "I'll be good and stop snooping. Not that I was," he quickly added.

She acknowledged his statement with a hum and left.

"You can't tell me what to do," he mumbled, taking a seat at her desk and frowning. "I know this is a magazine for girls," he yelled out, to which he heard her chuckling.

He slid down in the seat and stretched his legs out with a groan. He tapped his fingers against the wooden furniture and pulled the magazine in front of him, absentmindedly flipping through the pages until a certain quiz caught his attention: _Is He A Good Boyfriend? Where Does Your Guy Rank On The BF Meter?_

_Like the meter has a chance of touching me, _he thought egotistically. Grabbing a pen, he did the first question. "When you're having a bad day, your boyfriend..." He read through the options. "Yeah, I would probably listen, but interrupt her with my stories." He did, after all, have a short attention span. "Your friends think your boyfriend is..." He circled C. "When studying for chemistry, you...I guess B?" She had always told him she only studied with him because he was helpful. "Your celeb crush on Channing Tatum is a little too much, but he's in a new movie...would he take you and let you gush every so often, take you but doesn't like you talking about him, or get upset? A. You wanna go somewhere for your date and he wants to go elsewhere, what happens? I'll go where Pepper wants," he smiled. It was seeing her happy that counted.

"What is the worst thing he's ever done?" He cringed at the first option. _Not calling you for days after a fight. _Yeah, that was the worst thing he'd ever done, but there were extenuating circumstances involved. Still, he chose it. "You have a big game coming up and you're nervous. Your boyfriend...shows up to support her. Best quality about your boyfriend?" He thinned his lips.

"What are you doing talking to yourself?"

"What's my best quality," he asked instead, ignoring Pepper's comical expression once she figured out what he was doing. "My good looks and sense of humor or my caring attitude and always knowing what to say? Be serious here, Pep. I need to see if I'm a good boyfriend or not."

"Are you sure I'd pick A for Question 4? You flipped out when you found out I had a crush on Zac Efron."

"Please, Channing Tatum is old. Like I'm threatened."

"I don't know, he's kinda hot for his age."

He pretended not to hear that. "Need an answer, Pep."

"A." Pepper gave him a quick ruffle of his hair and left.

He circled it and compared his choices with the results available.

"I knew it." If his ego wasn't big enough, this inflated it ten fold. _Your boyfriend ranks high on our scale! Maybe it's because you've taught him well, but part of it could be because he's just a great guy overall. Take time out to tell him or show him it, he will definitely appreciate it._

He knew the quiz didn't mean anything, but it gave him confidence that he was doing right by Pepper and their relationship.

His ears perked at the sound of a car door slamming. His eyes went wide and he shot up in the chair, rushing to the window.

"Shit," he mumbled. It was Pepper's father. _That's what he looks like. Seriously, you're thinking about that now?! _He chastised himself and put on his jeans, his shirt in his hands.

He ran to the bathroom and knocked on it. "Pepper!"

"I'll be out in a minute!"

"Pepper, seriously, your dad just pulled up. What do-"

"Tony, I can't hear you!"

_What is she doing in there?_ Once again, the water was running.

Panicking, and without thinking, he rushed down the stairs hoping to sneak out the back door. He tried to undo his inside-out shirt as he raced down the steps, but a clearing of the throat stopped him.

Richard had always looked forward to this day, ever since Victoria and him were expecting a girl. And, fortunately for him, that day was today. He sat his grocery bags down and chuckled in disbelief. He looked the kid in front of him dead in the eyes and spoke. "I can't wait to hear you explain this."

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><p><strong>Dun...dun...dun. Someone's gotten himself into trouble. <strong>

**Do review! I'm thinking if I reach 10, I'll upload the next chapter instead of the usual 2-3 weeks? Do we have a deal? :)**


	30. Caught Redhanded

**Wow, I'm blown away by all the reviews...thanks to every single one of you. A deal's a deal!  
><strong>

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><p>Richard had always looked forward to this day, ever since Victoria and him were expecting a girl. And, fortunately for him, that day was today. He sat his grocery bags down and chuckled in disbelief. He looked the kid in front of him dead in the eyes and spoke. "I can't wait to hear you explain this."<p>

He must have blanked out for a good ten seconds, but in his opinion, it was one. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Who did he think he was? Did this kid actually expect him to believe that? His hair was a mess and sticking up in different directions, his pants were undone, barely hanging on his hips, and then there was the fact that he was standing in front of him without a shirt on. "Why don't you try again?"

_Way to go. Idiot._ Well, if he was going to go with this lie, he might as well stick to it. It was a matter of principle. "It's an emergency."

"Emergency," Richard repeated.

"I have to go. Really bad." He continued with his charade and descended a couple steps. "Could you direct me to your facilities because I have no idea where it's located."

"Don't take another step."

His penetrating stare made Tony stop dead in his tracks.

"I don't wanna hear another word. Throw me the shirt."

He glanced at his t-shirt and mentally groaned. _Why didn't I just stay in the room?_ After doing what he was told, he made the mistake of attempting to button his jeans.

"Don't."

"It's not like I'm gonna use the restroom anytime soon."

"Did I say you could talk?"

He sighed. "Alright, I'm going to level with you, Richard."

"Where do you think you're at? Stark Industries? Let me put this in words you understand, alright? Get your ass down here." Richard watched as the teenage boy begrudgingly made his way down the stairs. When Tony came to a stop in front of him, he proceeded to talk. "Shut the hell up."

This time, he nodded, not daring to speak another word.

Richard motioned him towards the kitchen and gestured to one of the dining room chairs. "Sit down. You seem exhausted."

Tony fiddled his thumbs and glanced around. God, he was in so much trouble. Not only with her parents, but also with her. He watched as Richard took a seat right next to him, turning his chair toward him so they were face to face.

"Which drink you like better?"

He looked at the two choices. "I'll take Pepsi."

"You'll have the root beer." Richard slid the soda towards him and popped open the tab to his own drink. "You know, Tony, I like you. You're a nice kid. Your head's screwed on straight. You have a good work ethic and you have impeccable manners to go along with it. You're smart. Honestly, I got nothing against you. If I were still in high school, we'd probably be buddies. And do you know why I know that? Because I was your age once. I've been in your same exact shoes and I've got to tell you, if you're not scared out of your mind, start. I wasn't born yesterday. But, like I just said, I like you. Let's pretend the last..." He glanced at the clock. "...five minutes never happened. Let's say this is an opportunity for you to recant everything you've said without being at fault for it. Like an olive branch of sorts. Will you accept it? Just think about it."

"No, thanks." This was Business 101. Howard had taught him every trick in the handbook. You don't go back on your word. It either made you look guilty or that you had something to hide. "I haven't been sleeping well and I fell asleep on Pepper's bed and woke up having to go to the bathroom. I got up and she's inside showering and I remember her telling me there's one downstairs and because I didn't want to be indecent in case you or Mrs. Potts was down here, I rushed to get my shirt. And as for my pants? Well, would you zip them up only to unzip them seconds later? It's like you and your groceries just then. If you had to make a second trip to your car, would you lock the door again? Think about that."

Richard nodded._ This kid's got balls. _Not that he was expecting anything less. The kid was Howard Stark's son and he'd been in the same room as the late gentleman. He could see the similarities. "You have a point. There's just one major flaw in it though. You see, I can back up my story because it's my word against no one else's. Yours? You've included a second party and I'm wondering if she were to be called down here, would she tell the same story?"

"Well, if you want to call her down here, go ahead," Tony nonchalantly said with a shrug. "I've got nothing to hide."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be looking for you in a minute."

A deafening silence filled the air and for Tony it was excruciating. Richard, however, loved every second of it. Seeing him sitting there and trying to hide the panic and the nervousness was the best part to his day.

"So just how long has this relationship been going on?"

Tony glanced the adult figure cautiously. "Two months."

"I don't know about you, but two months is a bit early to be making house visits to my daughter, don't you think?"

Tony's entire face felt inflamed. Here was the deal. He knew Pepper's father knew, but he couldn't admit to it, could he? It'd be like writing his own death sentence. Who was foolish enough to do that?

"Uh, I'm not sure I follow. What are you trying to say?"

"Still going with the clueless act, huh?" Richard leaned back in his chair and lifted his hand off the table and into the air, speaking in both an embellished and humble manner. "Hey, I get it. That's what I like about you, Tony. You have a plan and you stick with it, no matter the consequences. You know, Pepper's last boyfriend, Robert, he was kinda like you, but different in other ways, too. For one, he respected me enough to not lie to my face. Which, we both know, is what you're doing at this very moment, so let's stop pretending you aren't. Second, his intentions were sincere. He wasn't going to string her along. He treated her the way she deserved."

"Look, I'm here, aren't I? I could have easily walked out that door and avoided this entire conversation, but I didn't. And if you're seriously comparing me to that asshole, please don't. He's an idiot. He is a spoiled rich kid who runs his mouth thinking he's on some moral high ground and it's incredibly pathetic. He hasn't earned anything he has, not without daddy helping every step of the way, and it is hilarious that he doesn't see it." He'd done some research on Robert, as part of his plans to get him back for all those months ago, and figured out his acceptance to Harvard and the internships were mainly due to his father's knife skills. "You have such a high opinion of him because he's going to be a doctor? You ever think maybe someone else deserved that internship more than he did, someone who worked harder than he ever will was overlooked in admissions just so he had a spot there? If you were actually proud of him, then I feel sorry for you. I am nothing like him. I never will be. Let us get that straight. He might be the 'package,' but at least I don't pretend to be something I'm not and that's the kind of person Robert fucking is."

Richard was blown off tangent by his sudden impromptu speech. He only wanted to rile him up a little bit, see if he truly did have feelings for his daughter, that he wasn't just waiting for another girl to catch his eye, but this was turning into something else. Pepper wasn't a little girl anymore. Sure, for him, she always would be in his eyes, but he long ago accepted the fact that she had grown up and could make her own choices. Boyfriend included. As much as he hated to say it.

"The kid could afford to grow a spine," Richard thought out loud. "But that's beside the point. I hate being lied to and I have a problem with those who do. So I'm going to ask you again one last time." He had sat her down and had made strict rules with her when she first started dating. Clearly, she had forgotten them, or worse, he had talked her into it, and if that were the case, he wouldn't make it out the front door. "I want an honest answer. What were you doing upstairs?"

He knew the honest thing to do was to tell him the truth, but the self destructive part of him had taken over and he just wanted to see how far he could push things before they got out of hand.

"You might want to remember who you're talking to because I will forbid Pepper from seeing you. And she'll listen."

Tony didn't have a chance to respond because of the footsteps coming down the stairs, followed by the familiar voice asking if he was downstairs.

"Yeah," he forced out, already dreading this. Richard had gotten up, and was leaning against the kitchen island, ready to reprimand his daughter.

"Good," Pepper responded cheerfully. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat." Her voice was getting louder with each passing second. "I can tell my dad I'm at a friend's house."

"Uh, I-"

Richard interrupted. "Have a seat, Virginia."

Pepper jumped up in shock. "Dad! What are you...I didn't know you were back!"

"Save it. Sit down."

She glanced over at Tony and saw him sitting in a chair with his elbow propped up on the table, his head in his hand, giving her a lopsided smile. "We were just talking about you."

Her mouth had yet to close and she turned her attention to her father when he spoke again.

"Imagine me coming back from the store and seeing him rushing down the stairs with his pants undone and no shirt on, just like he is now. I've asked him what you both were up to and he insists it's not what it looks like and he's given me an elaborate version of what actually happened. I want to hear yours. See if they match. And, trust me, for your sake, I hope they do. You're in enough trouble as is. You know you're not supposed to have him here this late at night and you know he's not allowed upstairs when we're not home."

"I, I, I was...we just, I-" She didn't work well under pressure and she was an even worse liar.

"Taking a shower?"

"Yeah," Pepper affirmed.

"How about beforehand? What were you two doing then?"

Tony closed his eyes. This was all about to blow up. Let the countdown begin. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

"He was sleeping."

"Without clothes?"

"It's more comfortable without," Tony said, putting in his two cents.

"You need to shut your mouth."

He ignored Richard's statement. "Pep, I told him the same thing, but he doesn't believe me."

She ignored him. "Dad, look, I-"

"That's enough. You're grounded. Three weeks."

"What?!"

"That's right. You're not leaving the house the entire winter break."

"But I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Everything has consequences. I hope you realize that. Show Tony to his car. I want to talk to you alone."

"Fine," Pepper said, her voice low as she watched Tony get up.

They were silent the entire walk, not knowing where to begin.

"Pepper," Tony started, cutting the silence and grabbing her hands. "Look, I'm sorry. I panicked. I feel horrible that I got you in trouble."

She shot him a sad smile. "What's done is done, right? He's just upset. He's still getting used to the fact that we're dating and now he knows we've taken things to the next level. He's being protective and it's his job to."

"I guess it doesn't really matter though." She shot him a curious expression. "I'm gonna be in New York for winter break. Obie has meetings scheduled with the board members and I have to be there since the company's mine legally. Not that I want to run it, but I sure as hell don't want him to. He creeps me out. Thank God I don't have to share a plane with him."

She didn't know if he was trying to lighten the situation, but it was working.

"Come on, you saw him at the benefit. He flirts with girls half his age. It's disgusting. I mean, what if I turned out to be a girl?" Tony shuddered at that thought. "You think your dad would give me my shirt back if I asked for it? I'm cold." It was winter and today was particularly cold, he was shivering.

She winced. "I don't think so."

"I guess I deserve it. I did bang his daughter after all."

"Tony!"

He smirked. "I was kidding. It's just easy to make fun of you. I can't help it."

"Just get in the car before dad comes out with a baseball bat."

He chuckled, easily picturing that scenario. His eyes soften and he looked at her with a smile that matched his eyes. "Thanks for trusting me enough to..." He trailed off, hoping she got the hint.

"I just wish things hadn't ended the way it did," Pepper sincerely responded, sadness laced in her voice.

"Me, too," he agreed quietly. He cupped the side of her head with his palm and tilt her head up towards him for a tender kiss.

Her arms wrap around his bare torso and he instantly pulled her in, planting a kiss on her neck.

"I'm so tired," Tony said as he pulled away from their embrace. "I think I'm gonna sleep when I get back. Wait, hey, I just got in an idea. What if I snuck over tonight instead," he asked mischievously, eyes glinting as he leant against his car, pulling Pepper with him as well so he could wrap his arms around her waist.

Her cheeks reddened at the implication. As tempting as it sounded, she had to be logical one. "Maybe another time."

He pouted, staring at her with puppy dog eyes. "But we didn't get to cuddle."

"You fell asleep!"

"Uh, so did you!"

"Let's just say we were both tired," Pepper replied, finding common ground.

"Fine," he huffed, giving up. "But we're doing it again once I'm back. Twice. So clear your schedule two Saturdays from now."

"Wow, how romantic of you. Get me a present from New York and give me a massage and then we'll talk."

"Really? A massage?" He didn't do massages. "What if I gave you two org-"

For the second time today, she covered his mouth with her hand. She looked at him disgustedly when he mumbled 'for free.'

"Get in your car."

He smirked and reluctantly let go of Pepper's waist, leaning in to kiss her gently. "I guess we have a deal?"

"Guess you'll just have to find out."

"That's rude." She smiled innocently as he got into the driver's seat. "Now I'm gonna be thinking about it the entire time."

"I wonder whose fault that is."

She waved at him before he drove off and sighed as she retreated back into the house. She was dreading what was about to come. She slowly walked in, biting her lip, looking guilty as charged.

"Where do I begin," Richard asked, his arms crossed.

"It's not any of your business, dad."

"You live under my roof, so that, by default, makes it my business. What were you thinking having sexual relations with him? It's been two months. You don't do something like that this early into the relationship. Maybe another five months in, but even then I expected you to go to your mother first instead of ignoring us all together. You need to be made aware of how protection works, how to use it correctly because one slip up and you're pregnant. STDs. Given how many girls he's been with, he needs to be checked out."

"I know all this already. I don't want to talk about it."

"I want you to explain something to me. Explain to me how you can so easily let him in and not Robert."

"Oh my God," she replied in total shock. "How do you know that?!"

"I asked."

"You did what," Pepper yelled, not believing what she was hearing.

"I asked and he respected me enough to tell me the truth."

"You invaded my privacy!"

"It is my job as your dad-"

"To watch out for me. Yeah, I get it. But you stepped over the line, dad. I walked in here ready to apologize and talk to about it, but now, well, don't hold your breath."

"Pepper, we're not finished," she heard him yell as she hastily went up the stairs, slamming the door to her room. Did her father actually expect her to sit down and have a civil conversation after that?

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><p>"Is it finished," Tony asked, walking into the workshop after just taking a shower. He looped the towel around his neck to catch the remaining water droplets running down his hair and plopped into the seat at the computer desk.<p>

"Eons ago, sir. I took the liberty of chronologically ordering the names by sectors. They are alphabetized for you as well."

Tony giggled at JARVIS' sarcastic wit and pushed himself forward with the rolling chair. "You're awesome. Don't change."

He pulled up the names and sighed. Finding the people responsible for his parents' death was proving to be a more difficult task then he realized. He'd gone through dozens of security tapes, whether it be from the benefit or nearby, but the best he got was a hooded figure, a man in a mask covered in black from head to toe. He couldn't get a facial recognition, just a height, his eye color, and foot size. He crossed referenced those characteristics to known enemies, but all those invited were accounted for. Leave it to his parents to rub in their faces how successful they were. Though, he guessed, they got the last laugh in the end. His parents hadn't seen anything coming.

"Sir, you have one new message from Ms. Potts." As the AI spoke, said message was pulled up at an empty spot on his screen.

He pushed the call button and smiled when she picked up immediately.

"So my dad knows we did-"

"Yeah, I figured that out when he caught me with my pants down rushing down the stairs." He turned his attention away from the list JARVIS had conjured up and directed it to his girlfriend. What he saw instantly lit up a smile. "You're wearing my shirt." She looked amazing in it.

"It's comfy," Pepper smiled. "It's cute, too." She glanced down at the t-shirt. There was an smiley faced oxygen atom holding a 'free hugs' balloon with a smiley faced hydrogen atom to either side of it.

"You always make fun of me when I wear my nerdy shirts."

"Just the stupid ones," Pepper pointed out. "This one's not."

He rolled his eyes. "I guess you can keep it. You got anything planned tonight?"

"Nope. I just wanted to say goodbye before you got on the plane since you're leaving in the morning."

"Thanks, Pep. Though my offer still stands, you know. I'll be over in an instant."

She smiled, but shook her head. "That sounds tempting, but not the best idea."

"It was worth trying. I'll talk to you later, okay? I have stuff to look over before I head out tomorrow."

"You don't want to talk to me?"

He looked at the sad expression on her face and shook his head. She was teasing him, he knew, but still, he couldn't help but feel bad. "Don't do that."

Her lips form a smile and she raised her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "I'm joking."

"Still makes me feel bad." He leaned back in his chair and sighed. He wasn't 100% into their conversation and didn't want to bore her. "It's just that my head's somewhere else. I'm sifting through the names of people my dad's fucked over and seeing if there's a connection to the explosion." He sighed. "I don't know, I think I'm just grasping at straws. It's pathetic. No one would gain anything out of it unless it was just purely revenge, but then they need to know the right people, get it orchestrated, all the while having it slip past dad's radar. He's got eyes like a hawk, so the fact that he didn't see this coming meant it was a top notch job."

"Well, what about Obie? That's his name, right?" Tony was pulling at her heartstrings, seeing him so sad and heartbroken over the loss of his parents. He was overexerting himself with this; she didn't have the heart to tell him to stop and rest because he wouldn't. If anything, he'd probably just get upset.

"Everything checked out on his end. You think it was some kind of power play because that's what I was thinking, you know?" He sat up, suddenly energized. "Maybe someone wanted to get rid of us, take control of Stark Industries? I've been digging through the board members and there's this guy named Daniel White who's always been opposed to dad's ideas, but when Obie speaks on his behalf, he's fine with it. It's kind of weird, isn't it?"

Pepper shrugged. "Maybe he just likes him more. And maybe you're on the right track. I don't think it's a coincidence you were in a warehouse explosion. Just don't think too much about it, or at least try not to," she tread lightly. "I'm all for getting justice for your parents, but there is such a thing as too much determination, and you don't want it to consume your life. As hard as it will be, you need to realize at some point it's just better to let go and move on."

"I know," he replied quietly. It was just hard to. "And I told myself I wasn't going to cry anymore so I'm not." He sniffed back a few tears and smiled. "I'm gonna head upstairs. Get some sleep."

She smiled back and nodded. "Alright, bye. Have a safe flight."

"Will do. Bye, Pep." He hung up after her goodbye and got up. "JARVIS, make a list of succession to the throne. I want every unscheduled, undocumented meeting between anyone in weapons noted."

He walked up the stairs and into the living room where a package he hadn't seen moments ago had now caught his attention.

"JARVIS?"

"Scanning as we speak."

_Is it from Pepper? _Nope. There wasn't a return label, just his home address.

"It's of silk material," JARVIS spoke, pulling up the dimensions of the box's contents on the TV screen. "I believe it's a bow tie."

Tony furrowed his brows in confusion and opened it. "A small one at that," he observed.

"Hmm," he said in thought, glancing at it one last time before chucking it onto the sofa. _Maybe someone wrote the wrong address or something. _This wouldn't be the first time.

Not thinking more of it, he continued on up the stairs and sighed. He was extremely tired and perhaps tonight would be a night where he'd fall asleep for more than an hour at a time. He got into bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment before asking JARVIS to shut the lights. He flipped over on his side and saw Waffles. His parents had gotten it for him when he was two. They were strolling through Manhattan and he'd seen it in a front window of a toy store and wouldn't stop crying until he had it in his hand. Even then, he got everything he wanted. He smiled at the memory for a second before something registered in his mind.

Waffles had a bow tie. Though his was red with little fishes on it. He suddenly sat up and grabbed the teddy bear off the bed. "Say, JARVIS, would you agree that the tie downstairs is nearly identical in size as this one?" His heart started pumping considerably faster.

"Based on the measurement, sir, it is safe to assume such, yes."

The gears in his brain were turning at maximum speed. And the color of the bow tie downstairs? He was willing to bet it was the same color as Waffles' fur. "It can't be," he whispered quietly. "Can it?" His mind had come to one conclusion, the only one that made sense, no matter how crazy it sounded. Were his parents alive?

* * *

><p><strong>So maybe I didn't have the heart to kill them after all. Surprise :)<strong>


	31. Broken Hearts Still Beat

"Glad to have you back," Coach Martinez told him as he entered the field clad in shorts and his soccer jersey for practice after the first day from winter break.

Tony smiled. He was glad to be back. New York had gone off without a hitch, expect for the fact that Obadiah had left him out to dry, giving him the daunting task of conducting business meetings with their international bases.

_I'll take care of them,_ the bald headed man assured. _All you need to do is show up. _He was halfway to New York when Obadiah called. The Middle East needed his attention. Nothing too important. This sort of thing happened on a regular basis.

"I guess I'm back to playing second forward," Brad announced.

Tony turned around and smirked, shaking his hand along with his other teammates that had followed Brad out from the locker room. "I said don't make yourself too comfortable."

"It's all for the best, right," said the forward player.

"Yeah, Jacob said you weren't going to make it into tournament without me."

"Okay, let's just start the game before we hear him brag about it," Brad said.

The team laughed and headed out into the field. He trailed behind the others with Mike, the forward player.

"So there's a rumor about you being in the market again."

"And you care about that," Tony asked with a raised brow.

Mike shrugged. "Just curious. Everyone knows you've been sniffing around that redhead for months and the girls in PE were saying how you haven't talked to her the entire day."

"Your point being?" He knew this was leading into something else.

"There's a pool going around. $80 yes. $20 no. Did both-"

"Really? Just $20?"

"I don't know, man, for whatever reason, Rex thinks it's not just about sex. Thinks she has you whipped."

Before Tony could get a word out, a female voice very familiar to him called his name and scared him stiff.

"I'm gonna head outta here," he quickly said as he turned around for the locker room. Sadly, for him, he miscalculated where Pepper had called him from and nearly crashed into her instead. "Oh, hey, baby." He smiled and attempted to kiss her, to which she rejected.

She kept her glare at Tony and grabbed his arm tightly, ignoring his protests of pain as she directed them to the bleachers - the only current unoccupied space on the soccer field.

"Hey! Ow! What is wrong with you?!" He pulled his arm out of her grasp and rubbed the distinctive red spot she had made.

"Ugh! Me? What is wrong with you?!" Pepper crossed her arms and looked at him indignantly. "Aren't you gonna explain yourself before I murder you in front of all your friends?"

"It just slipped," he quickly responded in a single breath, shoulders raised.

"You were so..." She groaned in frustration and pushed him, causing him to loose his balance and fall backwards. Luckily for him, his hands broke the fall, he barely hit the bleachers. "...inconsiderate!"

He glanced up and raised his pointer finger. "Pepper, before you get mad-"

Pepper took several steps closer to him and he instinctively held his hands up to defend himself. His teammates were at a standstill watching the scene play out with laughter and smiles on their faces.

"Madder," he corrected, picking himself off the cement. "I have a reason."

"You told everyone we had sex!"

"Wait, hold up...I did not tell everyone. I told one person and he just-"

"It hardly makes a difference when you practically yell it out in class!"

"I didn't yell it! Rhodey was being a dick, telling me how he got to spend time with his girlfriend and all that stuff and I got a little mad. And besides, I didn't even confirm it, like you just did right now!"

Her current demeanor dropped and turned into full panic instead. Her eyes widen and her cheeks reddened and she stared at him in absolute horror.

He responded in an arrogant manner, unable to wipe the grin off his face. "Yeah, that's right. So if you want to be mad at someone, Pep, go look in the mirror because you're the one that screwed up."

"But, but...I heard...everyone-"

"Saying I finally nailed you? Yeah, sorry about that, but it was just a rumor going around. And now...well..." He turned around and nodded to the guys on the soccer field - who were now whistling and hollering him various congratulatory sayings. "Good going, Pep." Tony smirked and sat both his hands on her shoulders. "Everyone on campus will know our business in a matter of minutes. Be proud."

"Oh my God," Pepper muttered.

"Look, the guys are waving at you. You should meet them sometime."

"Oh my God, I can't believe I did that." She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. She had been too caught up with what he had 'said' that she had forgotten it was just a rumor. "Didn't it occur to you that maybe you should have stopped me from talking?"

"Uh, you kept interrupting me every time I tried. Why do you care so much? Everyone's going to forget about it by next week."

"For you. I mean, all they're going to think is 'oh, he finally got what he wanted. Who's next on the list?' You know how that makes me feel? Used."

_Used? _The word irked him. He would understand if she felt hurt or insecure or mad, but used? How many times did he have to prove to her that he wasn't with her for kicks? "Who fucking cares?" The delivery of his words had been harsher than he intended.

Her head whipped up. _Did he really just say that?_ "I do!"

Tony took a deep breath and cracked his neck. That was when he realized it wasn't because she cared, but because she had let the notion bother her to begin with, no matter how brief it had been. He softened his features. "Why does it bother you so much?"

Pepper attempted her best poker face. "It doesn't, okay?"

"Yeah, it does. I get it." This was one of those things they've talked about but never actually discussed before. "You're bothered that you let yourself think it was true, even if it was for a moment. Pep, their opinions shouldn't matter, that's what I was trying to say before."

"It's not as easy as you're making it sound."

"I know you don't completely trust me yet and I'm fine with that, but have I ever given you a reason not to? Shouldn't that be enough? You know I'm not using you, but you think it and it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I shouldn't had blabbed to Rhodey and I deserved that shove, but he was just going on and on about getting to spend time with his girlfriend. I got jealous. I spent winter break in a suit, in fucking conferences with people who don't even take me seriously talking about the direction Stark Industries is heading as if my parents had gone off to vacation on an island or something. You learn to develop a thick skin, Pep. They don't even have the courtesy to listen to anything I say but I don't care because at the end of the day, I own their asses and I'll fire each and every one of them if I wanted to and they all know I would in a heartbeat. You don't think I'd had rather spend that time somewhere else? I missed you, Pepper. A lot. I know we did Skype and all that stuff, but it isn't the same." He shrugged. "If you weren't grounded, I would had sent a plane for you so you'd be in New York with me. That is what winter break should have been. You. Me. Together."

Pepper looked deep into his chocolate brown eyes and smiled. She stormed over here ready to give him a piece of her mind, but his speech all but made up for it. "I guess I just need to work out a few of my insecurities. And I do trust you, Tony. Completely. And what you said just then was sweet, but seeing how things ended with my dad, I don't think that would have been possible."

"Don't underestimate me." He laced Pepper's fingers in his and bent her arm with his hand behind her back, pulling her closer, but at the same time backing her onto the fence currently around them. "Why'd you cancel on Saturday? I got you a present like you asked for."

"Don't you have a ball to kick," Pepper asked instead.

"Don't you have a boyfriend to kiss," Tony countered.

"Oh, yeah, I do, don't I? I'm gonna go find him now."

"That's uncalled for."

Pepper chuckled as she felt him press up against her.

"You're not gonna give me an answer," Tony inquired, staring into her eyes. He couldn't deny the fact that he missed Pepper and the fact that they had agreed to spend Saturday together the weekend he got back was the only thing keeping him sane his entire duration on the East Coast. He was a little more than upset when she canceled on him.

"It's embarrassing."

"Oh," he said, not thinking more of it at first. Then the possibilities hit him. "Oh," he dragged out, a disgusted look on his face. "Okay, I don't want-"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "That is not what happened."

His brows furrowed, he was lost. _Okay...then what?_

"My mom scheduled a doctor's appointment for me."

If she was hoping he'd get the hint, he didn't.

"And it's the type only women have to go to."

"The obstetrician?"

"No, gynecologist."

He waved her comment off. "Same difference."

Pepper scoffed. "Believe me, it's not. He wouldn't had looked down there if he was an obstetrician."

The only thing he caught off her sentence was that her doctor had been a he. He took a step back, blinked several times, and tried to tell himself he had to have heard Pepper wrong. "You're telling me a dude looked between your legs? That is just wrong. The only dude allowed to do that is me, Pep."

Pepper resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.

"That's not right. You need to change doctors."

"Or we could just not have sex," she challenged, knowing full well she'd won their disagreement on that comment alone.

"Potts, that's low. Even for you."

"What," she inquired innocently.

He knew he had lost this fight so he just gave up. "Okay, so if you're not on your stuff, you want to get out of here and..." His voice was low and suggestive and his eyes bored into hers with desire and passion. He put his hand against the wall and leaned in just close enough so their lips would touch.

The first few kisses were soft, innocent, their senses igniting, and for Tony, he was ten steps ahead. He sought her hungrily and pressed her harder against the fence, the heat and friction converting to a familiar pleasure that would soon rise in the pit of his stomach. His hand trailed up her arm to her face, his thumb rubbing her cheek in a back and forth motion as he gentled their kiss. A quiet groan escaped his lips as her hand trailed down his chest to the curve of his spine, the touch making his shiver.

They slowly pulled apart and his eyes opened. He could see most of her lip gloss had smothered off. He had gotten carried away, but who could blame him after how they left things three weeks ago? It killed him they couldn't spend that night together and he'd been aching for another night with her like that since. Given how she enjoyed every second of their little impromptu make out session, Tony knew it would not take that much convincing.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I have something to tell you." He motioned her to take a seat. "You can't tell anyone. I mean, I would had told you the moment I found out, but I couldn't risk it over the phone."

"Okay," she said cautiously.

"I was looking through the footage of my parents' car accident and I don't think they're dead."

"Tony..."

"No, don't give me that look. I'm not insane."

She sighed inwardly and stared at him. What was she supposed to say? That she believed him? She couldn't because she didn't and she wouldn't lie to his face and pretend she did.

"Even JARVIS believes it's possible."

"JARVIS isn't real," she said to him.

"So you're not even going to let me explain?"

"No, I'm not saying I won't." _I just don't get where you got that from. _"The footage, Tony. Everyone's seen it. Their car exploded. Into the air. They died the moment the detonation was pressed."

"Look, that's the thing. Everyone just assumed it was my parents because of the license plate and all that, but what if it wasn't them? I pieced together a timeline and made a map of the route they'd been driving on and four minutes are unaccounted for. They're at this tunnel due to a train and the cars behind them were caught in the same situation but an intersection behind. If you assume they knew about the attack, that they knew it would happen on the way back from the benefit, don't you think they could had maybe came up with a game plan? I checked the tunnel and there's a locked door that leads to the sewers. My parents could have easily gotten out of their Escalade towards safety in that four minute timeframe."

"You don't think people would have noticed?"

"Pep, you know how it is when you're waiting for a train to pass. Everyone's on their phone and shit. No one's looking in the rearview mirror thinking what's happening behind us."

"Tony, even if that were true, they couldn't have possibly known when the denotation would had taken place."

"Their car exploded on 10th where there's minimal traffic, minimal casualties, and minimal damages. And given that mom and dad were the intended targets, it makes sense they would try to contain the situation. That leaves Manchester, Maddox, and 10th."

"But you're assuming too much. That they knew when the train would be arriving, that they knew it'd be on 10th. And let's just say it wasn't your parents in the car, then who was? They found body parts. They found your mother's necklace. Whatever material they could salvage from clothing was sent to the lab and analyzed. It was a good enough match for them to call it a day. Maybe you need a break from this. Do you remember what I said about too much determination? Remember what you said about grasping at straws? I think you might have reached that point. You need to step back and take a break before it starts consuming your life. You're just making it worse for yourself. I mean, if you're right and they did orchestrate all this, that would mean they kept you out of the loop. It would mean they let whoever was hired to plant the bomb plant it and it would mean that they were willing to let you go through all this pain just so they could fake their deaths. I've met your mom, she looks at you like you're her entire world. She wouldn't put you through that."

He looked down at his hands and held back the tears. Pepper should be helping him, not pushing him down. He thought she was in his corner, but now he wasn't so sure.

He stood up and collected his thoughts. "Maybe you're right and I am seeing things that aren't there, but I told you because I thought you'd be supportive, and I guess I was wrong. You're just like the rest of the people out there. Just forget about it. I'm sorry I fucking mentioned it to begin with."

"Tony, that's not..." She stood up and tried to put her hand on his arm to calm him down, but stopped when he interrupted her.

"Just fuck off, Pep."

She ran a hand through her strawberry blonde locks and watched as Tony made his way onto the soccer field. She was frustrated with herself. All he wanted was her to lend an ear and instead she had opened her mouth.

And now here they are: their first fight. It wasn't like she didn't see it coming. It wasn't like she was shocked. Any parent dying would test a couple's relationship and the fact that both his had gone, it just meant double the work. Sitting there, Pepper found herself asking whether to stay and watch him or just get up and go. He probably didn't want to see her anyways.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I've decided to create drama for our couple, be prepared! Until next time!<strong>


	32. Still Framed Photograph

Tony hissed in pain as he slowly removed what was left of the bandages around his hand. He had spent the last two hours beating the living daylights out of the punching bag that was anchored to the ceiling.

His breathing was still erratic, but it had settled for the most part. It was Friday. Four days had past since he'd shown up to school. Alone time. That was what he wanted. No phone. No visitors. JARVIS had taken a holiday. It was just him, and he had to admit, it had been the best idea ever.

His knuckles were scraped, but the wounds were superficial. A couple weeks and they'd heal. Letting out a deep breath, he got off the floor and walked upstairs into the kitchen in search for something to drink. He grabbed Gatorade and that was when he realized looking into the refrigerator there wasn't enough food to last him another week. _Should I go grocery shopping? Yeah, if you knew where it was, or where things were so you don't have to walk up and down the aisles like a dumbass. _He quickly scratched the thought off his mind and made a mental note to tell the housekeeper to grab him a couple things before she left for the weekend.

_And what the hell am I gonna do with Pepper? So I snapped, but she deserved it! I'm not apologizing. Besides, girlfriends are supposed to support you no matter how dumb, crazy, or stupid you sound._

She hadn't even bothered to entertain the possibility of his words before tearing them apart. So here he was ignoring her because he was upset at her. He was well aware this was what people half his age did when they didn't get their way, but he didn't care. Pepper hurt his feelings and he was going to make sure she knew that.

"Sir," JARVIS announced. "I can't seem to get ahold of Mr. Stane. Shall I try once again?"

"Why the hell not? The guy's been MIA for three weeks. He's supposed to be taking care of the fucking company. I can't handle it."

"Sir, Mrs. Linden says she's spoken to him just this morning. Things are worse than it seemed. Mr. Stane is trying his hardest to wrap things up so he can fly back to the States as soon as possible."

"Yeah, well, sounds like an excuse for a vacation. Tell him to call me back or I'll do something that'll make him wanna come back."

* * *

><p>"Mom is so going to yell at you when she finds out."<p>

"Not if I get to it first," Pepper winked as she took another bite of the macaroni and cheese from her plate. It was their parents 20th anniversary and they were throwing a party to celebrate. Everyone was invited. People had even flown in from Maryland for the weekend.

"Not if I tell her first."

"Fine, then I'll just tell mom about the time you invited your friends over and how you were the one who destroyed her figurines."

"Yeah, well, I could tell her Tony was over when she and dad left for that concert."

"Go ahead." She shrugged. "It's not like mom can hate him more than she does."

Peter took a seat next to his sister. She had a point. "Fine, give me some of that."

"No." Pepper pulled her plate closer to herself and smirked.

"Bitch," Peter retorted before leaving her alone at one of the backyard tables that had been set up for the guests.

She hadn't seen or talked to Tony since Monday and she had even waited for him after practice to apologize. He was right. She should have supported him. And who knows? He could be right. He made valid points and she should have tried to reason them out with him instead of dismissing them.

_Should I call him?_ She'd been wanting to the entire week, but had always chickened out believing it was better to give Tony space.

If it hadn't been for the small poke on her shoulder, she wouldn't have noticed the figure behind her all together, and she couldn't had expected who it was if she had all the guesses in the entire world.

"Hey," he smiled, taking a step back so she could get up.

She returned his smile. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Mom made me," he shrugged. "Anyways, I saw your brother. He said you were out here and I thought I'd come over and say hi."

"When's the last time we talked," Pepper asked as they both took their seat.

"When you dumped me for Tony."

_Is he trying to make me feel bad? _She still felt awful for the way things ended between them and didn't want to bring up the past. She remembered and smiled sadly. "So what's happening with you?"

"With school? Nothing interesting. I've been slowing down on classes and internships and just enjoying life. I've been having fun with the guys ever since I joined the fraternity."

"Really," Pepper asked. "Bet you're getting a lot of girls."

"Not interested," Robert shrugged. Mainly because his heart was still set on her, and he couldn't let that go, not that he would tell her. He was still hoping she'd wake up and realize what a mistake she made and go back to him.

"I don't believe that. You must be interested in someone," Pepper teased. It was better this way, to keep the conversation from dying. As much as she didn't want to know about Robert's romantic life, she hated the potential silence a lot more.

"Believe it. No girl's ever gonna beat you."

"Robert..."

"What," he asked, turning his attention away from the food laid out on the table and back at Pepper. "I'm just being honest with you. Is that your mom's mac n' cheese? I did not see that over there."

Pepper smiled. "I stole it."

"Oh, you're bad. Let me in on some of that." He sat up and scooted his seat over so he was right beside her, their shoulders touching. "And what about you," Robert asked, glancing at her. "You're with that ass...guy still?" He amended his words after seeing the glare she had shot him.

"Yeah," Pepper responded.

He looked up at her solemn tone. "Uh oh. I know that look. What did he do to you?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on. I promise not to say anything bad about him. I mean, I can probably guess what it's about."

"No, I don't think I wanna talk about it."

He wasn't offended. "Your choice. Just thought you might need someone to talk to."

Knowing Robert he was telling the truth.

"We're starting a basketball game outside, so that's where I'll be. If you get tired of staring at your phone, I could use you on our team. I have the skills of a four year old."

Pepper let out a laugh and told him she'd meet them out there in a couple minutes.

She sighed once Robert was out of sight and returned to her phone, staring at Tony's name on her contact list and deciding whether or not to push the 'call' button or not.

* * *

><p>Robert smiled when he saw Pepper walk out the front door and over to him. He aimed the basketball at the backboard and it hit the rim and bounced out over to her. He looked apologetically at her and shrugged.<p>

She bounced the ball back to him and shook her head. "You lost."

"Of course we did. Three of your cousins are on the school team."

"It's your fault you picked a crap team."

"I didn't have the choice," Robert replied as he strolled up to her.

"Cause you wasted time talking to me."

"You can never be waste of time," he said genuinely. "Can I ask you something? It has been bothering me ever since we broke up."

Pepper was hesitant to let him, but she still said yes.

"Do you think if you guys never moved here that we'd still be together and none of this would have happened? Because I think so."

"Robert, it's hard to call. Maybe something else would had happened, broken us apart anyways."

"Yeah, I get that, but I just think that without him being in the way, things would had worked."

"Why do you always blame him for us breaking up? We did this to ourselves. We fought and instead of talking about it, we ignored each other and pretended it never happened. It's our fault. We did it."

"He complicated things. Look, Pepper." He took a deep breath. "I still love you. I can't get over you, no matter what I try, and believe me, I tried. I lied earlier about coming only because my mom said so. When I got that message from you, I just smiled. These past few months have been hell and I keep hitting myself over the head because I realize this is all my fault. I undermined our relationship and lost trust in you all because I got jealous. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you. And to that playboy? That just drove the sword into my heart a little further and I couldn't understand why he had your attention, but I do now. I wasn't here and when I was, we fought 90% of the time. He was there and he was the distraction from me. If I said I wanted to start over, will you think about it?"

She shook her head without even a thought. "It's too late, Robert. If you had said this a couple months ago, then yeah, maybe I would had thought it over, but it's too late now. You should move on."

"Pepper, you know he's gonna break your heart."

"If he does, then it'll be my problem. Not yours."

"Do you love him?"

"I'm not doing this. It's counterproductive."

"I'll take that as a no. Do you still love me?"

"No, I don't, Robert," she responded, clearly and bluntly.

"But you still care a great deal."

"And that's all. I don't want to hear this anymore."

"If you're sure this is what you want." He was pretending to understand, but truth is he was going to do whatever it took to get her back, starting with his transfer to UCLA next fall.

"It is. So this is how it's going to go. If you wanna be friends, we can, but this never comes up again. We keep it neutral, we keep it friendly. You step over that line and I never want to see you again."

"Fine, yeah, I get it."

She stared him down hoping he really meant that. "Good." She let out a smile to relieve some of the tension. "I just came out to tell you I'll be in my room if you need me. Think I'm gonna take a nap until dinner."

He kept his cool until she was gone. That was when he kicked the basketball out of frustration.

"Just stick to what you're good at," Peter told him as he went up to him with a bottle of water.

"Your sister's driving me nuts."

Peter grabbed the ball from the curb and made a basket before responding. "What happened?"

"She's actually serious with Tony Stark?"

"I think so. I mean, they slept together."

Robert's eyes all but bulged out of their sockets. "What?!"

"Yeah, a couple weeks ago," Peter told him. "He probably got her on his first attempt, too. Sucks to be you, doesn't it? I mean, you've tried what? Ten thousand times," he joked.

"Don't remind me."

"They got caught in the act."

"Unbelievable!" Out of anger, Robert threw the bottle in his hands onto the street, nearly hitting the headlight of a passing car.

The car immediately screeched to a stop at an empty spot on the side of the road.

"Um, you just hit a Porsche."

Robert was just as shocked as Peter was and he stared at the car just waiting to see who was in there. "Not intentionally! And I barely grazed it."

They both turn their heads the moment the car door opened.

"Dude," Peter drew out, quickly realizing who the person was. "He's going to think you did that on purpose."

Tony couldn't believe who he thought he saw as he drove down the street. He screeched his brand new Porsche 918 Spyder into a vacant space on the side of the road and stepped out, none the wiser to the bottle of water that had almost hit his car until he'd been informed.

He was already on edge no thanks to Obadiah and the adrenaline from his workout was still coursing through his veins. _Why the fuck is he here?_

Peter was the first to speak up when he neared. "Hey, Tony."

"Hey," he responded as casually as possible before turning his attention to Robert. His stance was confrontational and his tone matched his posture. "You know, I get you're a dick and all, but shouldn't you apologize for almost hitting someone's car? Unless you did on purpose."

Again, it was Peter who spoke up. "He didn't. I don't think he saw your car."

Tony ignored him and kept his focus on Robert. "Peter speaks for you now?"

And that was the moment Robert intentionally picked a fight. _Let Pepper see Stark for who he really is. _"My only regret is missing the headlight."

"Right," Tony responded, nodding his head. The guy couldn't lie to save his own life and the fact that he was provoking him told him everything.

"If you're here for Pepper, I think she's upstairs," Peter said. He hoped Robert would leave it at that, let it go, and not make this any worse.

"Hold up, I just spoke to Pepper. She doesn't want to see you. In fact, you should go. Throw your own party instead of crashing someone else's."

This time, Tony scoffed. "And who's going to make me? You?"

"Didn't Pepper tell you? We talk all the time; she asked me to come down here for her parents' anniversary. I guess it must've slipped her mind."

Now, that time, he wasn't sure if that was a lie or not. Partially because he was just seeing red.

"Yeah, you heard me," Robert taunted. If he continued down this path, he could tell he was going to get his desired results. "She told me she slept with you. You wanna know what I think? I think she did it because she felt sorry for you. What girl wouldn't give you a pity lay after all that's happened to you?"

"God, it just kills you that I've gotten further with her in a couple months than you ever had in two years."

"If that's what you have to tell yourself, fine. Deep down we both know she would had never gone to bed with you if your parents weren't gone."

"You mention my parents one more time and I will beat the shit out of you."

"Guys, just calm down," Peter said, getting in between the two hostile men.

"If Stark wants to prove to himself he can beat the crap out of me, let him."

"Rob, you might be two years older than him, but he can still kick your ass."

"If he wants to talk to Pepper, he's gotta get past me," Robert responded, his eyes locked dead with Tony's.

"What? You think because she sends you a couple texts that she still has feelings for you? Even loves you? You're living in a fucking delusional world and it's population one. Oh, and wait, that transfer you put in to UCLA? That's to get closer to Pepper, right? Try and win her back? Yeah, well, don't bother packing your stuff because I stopped it. And while you're at it, find a whole 'nother career path."

Robert felt the anger inside him stirring up. His hands balled into tight fists.

"You have the audacity to tell me I haven't worked for anything my entire life? You're a fucking hypocrite. You missed Harvard's application deadline, and yet there you are, at Harvard. How the hell did you get in? Dad? Contacts? Magic? You've squandered someone else's dreams and that's wrong. So, yeah, you heard me: choose a different profession because I'm not letting you have your dream job when you took away someone else's."

"Um, and you're gonna do that how?"

"You were right. My dad is a billionaire. It's amazing what a few donations and promises can do. Personally, I think you should major in dance. I could see you teaching ballet to little kids in the future."

"You son of..." Before he could think clearly, Robert lunged forward.

Too bad for him that Tony saw it coming. He merely took a step to the right and chuckled to himself as Robert stumbled onto the ground. _What an asshole. _He was going to find Pepper now. They had a lot of things to talk about.

He had only taken a few steps when he felt someone grab his shoulder, turn him around, and nearly deck him on the left side of his face.

"You're so going to pay for that." Tony quickly recovered as Robert hit air. He blocked his next hit with his forearm and used his momentum to punch him square on the jaw, then another to his lips. He heard him make an 'umph' sound and it was music to his ears. He took a hit at the gut when Robert was still in a daze, the punch sending him straight to the grass, his arm clenching his stomach.

"Hey! Hey!" All three teenagers heard the unmistakable voice that was Richard Potts. "What the hell is wrong with you two?! This is a party! There's kids!" He got in between Tony and Robert. His tone was authoritative, firm, and without a doubt, disapproving. "Your behavior is worse than the four year olds here! Get it together or I'll throw you both out."

Tony wasn't even listening. He just glared intensely at Robert, daring him to make another move, before walking into the house. He had drove over to talk, but all that seemed to have been forgotten.


	33. Highway Of Regret

"Pepper?!" He glanced the entire living room and hastily walked into the kitchen calling her name again. He couldn't find her and his patience was wearing thin. His head was swimming with questions.

He let out a frustrated breath and went upstairs. He got to her room and the door was closed. She had to be inside. She couldn't be anywhere else. He didn't bother to knock. Walking in, he saw Pepper sleeping comfortably on her bed.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her phone on the bedside table. _"Didn't Pepper tell you? We talk all the time." _Robert's voice ran through his mind. Was he telling the truth or was it all just a ruse?

He knew how to read people well enough to know when they were picking a fight, and that was what Robert had been doing, but when it came to Pepper, his brain became jelly, his judgement clouded.

He went over and picked the phone off the smooth hardwood nightstand and hesitated for a couple seconds before unlocking it. _What's wrong with you? Just ask her. Don't do this. _He noticed a picture of them on her background and it occurred to him at that moment this wasn't the best idea.

Too bad the devil on his shoulder won. He tapped the phone icon, his heart racing to the speed of light. He scrolled down, several times, but nothing caught his attention. He pulled out his own cell and connected to JARVIS. "Run the name. Anything from November up, I wanna know about it."

**_Sir, I don't think that's wise._**

He rolled his eyes at the message that appeared. "Do it, JARVIS."

Unbeknownst to him, his hushed whisper had stirred her awake.

He hit the message icon and his jaw clenched when he saw that either him or her had messaged the other three days ago. His finger just about tapped it, but a clearing of the throat stopped him.

"You wanna explain?"

"Um, I..." Pure panic. He watched as she got out of bed with a flat, but raging expression. "I need to text someone something and my phone's dead so I thought I'd use yours. Your brother told me I-"

"Give me my phone."

"Okay, hold up. I just need to finish this text." Which actually meant 'let me erase any evidence before I do.' Sadly, for him, the phone was snatched out of his grasp before he could.

It had taken her a couple seconds to figure out the person in her room and it took her twice as long to notice what Tony was doing. "You're such a liar. I saw you using your phone fifteen seconds ago."

She always closed her programs once she was done using them, so it wouldn't be difficult to confirm her suspicions. "You went through my phone," Pepper snapped. "What the hell?"

"Oh, don't even start, Pepper." He wasn't going to let her get a word in, not before he said all he had to. "You're unbelievable. I don't even know where to fucking begin. You know who I saw just then? Your ex-boyfriend. Where the fuck is my invitation? Did it get lost in the mail or something because, and correct me if I'm wrong, if anyone should be invited to your parents' anniversary party, it's your current boyfriend. If anyone shouldn't be invited, it's him. Not the fucking other way around. And my problem's not because you didn't even ask, it's the fact that you didn't even bother to mention it."

"Okay, first of all, I didn't invite him. My parents invited his parents because they're friends. I have no control over that. And, second, I was going to mention it to you after practice, but you had to be a dick and ignore me like you hadn't seen me sitting there, waiting for you, for over an hour and a half."

"I told you to fuck off. It's your fault you stayed."

Pepper couldn't believe he said that. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah," Tony responded a matter of factly.

She scoffed. "You know what? I felt horrible this entire week and I was going to apologize, but you can forget it. You invaded my privacy, and for what? My texts? Calls? What were you hoping to find?"

He got straight to the point, not beating around the bush. "I saw the messages. You texted that guy."

"And what if I did?"

"And what if I did," Tony angrily repeated. "Are you serious? Because I can come up with five thousand reasons why that's messed up just off the top of my head."

"I haven't spoken to him until a couple days ago, and I only did it because my mom needed to ask his if they were still coming tonight. That's all. Don't overreact."

"So you knew he was coming?" He chuckled in a derogative manner. "Great. So what? It never occurred to you to tell me? Or maybe this was your plan all along."

"I didn't know he was coming!"

"Right," he responded in a mocking manner. "The guy is still hung up on you! I mean, you know that, don't you? What's that saying? Don't be friends with exes?"

"We're not!"

"You told him we slept together. Why? To see if he gets jealous?"

"What are you talking about?" Slight confusion crossed her face.

"You know what he said? The only reason you slept with me was because you felt bad for me. That true? Because I thought about it and he has a point. You flat out denied me the night of the benefit. Fast forward three weeks to when you find out my parents died and all that 'I'm not ready to take that step with you' shit never comes up again. I even pushed to see how far I could go and when you didn't say anything, I just went along with it because I needed it and maybe that's the only reason why you let it happen. Because you felt sorry for me. You thought 'let him have this. What else does he have other than me?'"

She was at a loss of words. Did he really believe that? Her irises darkened in color as shock and hurt crossed her face. "Why would..." She couldn't finish, the words lodged in her throat. She turned and walked over to the door wanting to get out of here, to get away from him. How could he say that knowing how much courage it took for her to share that experience with him, to let down her wall and give into him completely?

"Don't even." He blocked her path to the door.

She tried to go past him, but he was one step ahead of her, almost as if he knew which direction she'd take before she even took it.

"Move, Tony." Her voice was quiet, a mumble.

"No," he sternly replied.

"You are such an asshole," Pepper noted, her eyes at the beginning stage of tearing up.

He didn't show any indication of being fazed by her demeanor. "Don't even start the waterworks. It's not gonna get you out of this."

"Of course it wouldn't," she snapped, staring at him with newfound indignation. "Why would you ever care about how I feel, right? All that matters is you and that's it and it's incredibly selfish. I should had been more supportive before, but I never intended to hurt your feelings. I just didn't want you to be hopeful over something that could just be inside your head. I said it because I care. And if your intention was to make me feel small, then congratulations. I understand you've been having a rough couple months, but why don't you stop for a minute and think about how all this has affected me? You ignore me for weeks without so much as an explanation and I have to deal with it while you're off doing whatever the hell it is. So I worry. I don't want to because you don't deserve it, but I do. All you have to do is tell me you want to be left alone. It's not hard. Because I am sick of being kept in the dark and being the last person to know anything. Like this week. I had to hear from your friends that you were at practice and then I thought 'why the hell is he at practice,' to which I'm told you were given a clean bill of health a few weeks ago. Do you do it on purpose or do you just think it's not my right to know? Whatever it is, just know it makes me feel like I don't matter and this argument pretty much confirms that. For you to buy into someone's words more than ours is beyond hurtful."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't have to fucking tell you everything, Pepper."

She groaned in frustration and clenched her hands into fists. He was driving her insane. "That's not what I'm asking for! I just want to be included when something happens. Like the important stuff."

"The important stuff," Tony repeated incredulously with a hint of bitterness. "So just what exactly falls under important? I just want to be sure," he said once she shot him a look. "I mean, it's not like there's a definitive line on what constitutes importance or not. Take telling your boyfriend that your ex is coming. Does it fall under importance? Because I think it does, but it turns out that's just me."

"You don't need to be sarcastic."

"You going anywhere with this?"

"I had no idea Robert would be here. And, yeah, I texted him and asked if he was coming. If he had said yes, I would have told you, but he said no instead; I didn't see a point in mentioning it to you."

"He's been here just how long?"

"I don't know! One, two hours?"

"So you could have told me he was here and didn't."

"I guess not," Pepper spat out. "Maybe that's what we do. Not tell each other anything."

"And what about all this crap," Tony started, walking over to the memorabilia she had mentioned to him the night they played truth or dare.

Her hands settled on her hips in a defensive fashion.

"You still have feelings for him?"

"They're just out for memories."

He whipped his head towards Pepper. "Yeah, of him."

"Of the stuff I've done," she firmly corrected. "The places I've been. It's not the person who got them that matters."

"That's just an excuse."

"It isn't. It's the truth."

"You dodged every question I asked and that's the same thing as giving me an answer, and you wanna know what that makes me think of? If we'd even be together if I hadn't been in that explosion."

She looked at Tony unbelievably. "Seriously? You're gonna go there?"

"Do you remember what you said to me when I told you how I felt?" He walked over to her, and stopped inches from her, his eyes piercing into hers. She swallowed hard and looked away for a second. "Cause I do. Something about not being good enough, compatibility; living in the real world. I understood and I respected your choice. The next thing I know is that I'm in the hospital and you're next to me with this change of heart, and somehow I'm worth the effort."

"That's a completely separate thing from what we are talking about."

"No, it isn't! It's the fucking exact thing!"

She huffed and closed her eyes for a brief second to gather her thoughts. "I don't understand why you're picking a fight. What's going on with you? You can't be this upset just because Robert is here."

"What? So you're saying I can't be mad?"

"No," Pepper exasperated. "Can you just answer my question, Tony?"

"What's the point when you won't even give me the same courtesy?"

"I can't do this anymore. When you finally decide you want to have a civil conversation, find me then; otherwise I'll be outside."

Again, he stopped her from leaving. "Why'd you cancel on Saturday?"

"I already told you. I had to-"

"Doctor's appointment," Tony finished. "Right. I came back at eight. At night," he emphasized, his tone similiar to earlier and not the least bit wavering. "Who the hell keeps their office open that late?"

"Oh, so I'm a liar now?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"You practically implied I did."

"It was just a question."

"Like I'm gonna believe you."

"That's your problem. Maybe you cancelled because he was in town."

"Or maybe I cancelled because I wasn't up for it. After having been asked all these questions and being examined, sex wasn't particularly first on the list."

"Or maybe I was right earlier about you doing it only cause you felt-"

"I didn't!"

"Fine, then this shouldn't be a problem."

Her eyes narrowed and she watched as he approached.

"Right here. Right now." His facial expression was cold, indifferent, and he could sense her attempting to understand, to find a useful crack in his armor, but beside anger, it was all she was going to get.

The distance between them was only getting shorter and she was already against the wall. She hardly saw this side of him; this only being the second, the first being that day in the locker room where she shattered his heart.

"Or are you gonna blurt out an excuse?"

"I'm not doing this," Pepper firmly said. She made a move to back him off, but his hand stopped her and grabbed tight to her wrist.

His eyes were locked with hers at an unnerving intensity and in them she could see the mixture of jealously, anger, and something she couldn't quite yet read. This wasn't just because of Robert. They had quarreled before so it didn't make sense he'd be this upset over it. Something must have happened. Unsettling news perhaps?

She did her best to squirm out of Tony's hold in the meantime.

"Relax," he said, his grip loosening as he stepped back so he could face her squarely. "I was kidding. Just wanted to make a point."

She yanked herself free and refused to be intimidated. "And?"

"Looks like I was right."

"Only because it's for the wrong reason."

"Sure," he brushed off. Taking one last hard stare at her, he headed for the door.

She wasn't sure why she bothered with her next words. "Where are you going?"

Tony turned around to face her at the door. "Home. So am I supposed to tell you what I'm gonna do once I'm back, too? Is that 'important?'" He waited for a response, but Pepper remained silent. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Oh, and I need some time alone, just so it's clear."


	34. Along The Broken Road

"How's yours? You like it? I think I should've went with the popsicle one." Tony sighed dramatically, making the five year old giggle. "I'm jealous."

"You can have some of mine," she offered.

"Are you telling me I was right and you couldn't finish it," he playfully asked.

"I was just being nice," Whitney told him. "Ms. Sarah says it's nice to share."

"Couldn't agree with you more, but not with strangers, remember?"

The girl nodded and put another spoonful of yogurt into her mouth.

"So I heard a boy was being mean to you on the playground. What's happening there? You want me to talk to him? Tell him to leave you alone?"

She laughed. "That's embarrassing."

"Hey, that's not fair. So you can be upset when I talk to the other girls, but when you talk to those boys I can't," Tony responded. "That's mean."

"James only does it when he's not with his friends."

"James, huh," he asked, seeking more information.

"He's one year older than me. He has brown hair like yours and his favorite color is purple."

"You know his favorite color," Tony exasperated. He raised his brows and glanced at her skeptically. "Is James your boyfriend?"

"Ew," Whitney replied immediately, her face contorting to one of disgust. "Boys have germs and they're gross. I only like playing with Rebecca and Crystal. They don't run in mud like boys do. It's icky."

Tony chuckled at her logic. "I guess you got me there."

"You finished already," she asked, pushing herself up from the booth to try and look over at his once full cup of frozen yogurt.

"Yep; it was delicious. Thank you for making it for me."

Whitney sat down and looked at her lap with a sad expression. "Do I really have to go," she asked, her voice just above a whisper. "I like it here."

"I know," he responded dejectedly, just as bummed out as she was that she'd be leaving the sunny skies of Los Angeles for the rainy clouds of Connecticut. "It's scary. Isn't it?" She nodded. "But you'll be okay, alright? It'll be fun and you'll understand when you're older how great it really is. I mean, there's snow, you get your own room, you get to be a big sister, and then there's that puppy, right? I saw you not wanting to let it go when you had to."

Whitney didn't respond, refusing to glance at him.

He tried to lighten the situation, get her mind off the pending flight to her soon to be family in Connecticut. "I think you're just sad because you won't get to see your boyfriend."

"No! He's not my boyfriend!" Her small hands tightened into fists, not liking his teasing her.

"Oh, then it must be because of me," he said smugly, the little girl's cheeks becoming pink. Whitney had always been a little possessive over him. "What am I going to do without you, huh? Who am I gonna get frozen yogurt with when you're gone?"

She pouted for a second, trying to think of a solution to make him feel better. "Pepper can!"

"Really? You'd let me get ice cream with Pepper?"

Her head bounced up and down excitedly. "Yeah!"

"I thought you didn't like Pepper because she was my girlfriend. You remember what you did when I told you? You shoved the teddy bear I got you in my chest and said you didn't want him anymore."

"I asked for him back," Whitney quietly mumbled.

"Come on, you know you're my favorite. Look, here's how it is." He raised his hand up into the air. "This is where you're at, and then there's Pepper, who's like right here." He lowered his hand towards the table and smiled, hoping it'd cheer her up.

"No," she said in disagreement. "It's supposed to be the other way around."

"Other way around," he asked. "Not possible."

"Rick says Ms. Sarah's the most special person in his world and that he loves her this much," Whitney elaborated as she spread her arms out as wide as they possibly can.

"How do you know I don't love you that much, too? That hurts my feelings."

Whitney sighed, almost as if she was tired of arguing with him.

"Besides, getting ice cream is our thing. I can't let her in on it."

"Let who in on what?" Pepper's voice suddenly appeared behind him and he froze for a moment.

Tony turned around and looked at her with a blank expression. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I said I would, so I did. But if you think this isn't a good idea-"

"No, you're right," he realized, scooting over so Pepper could sit next to him on the booth. He could put aside their problems for an hour. Whitney wanted to meet Pepper before she left and he told her he'd make that happen.

Whitney looked back and forth between them and quickly sensed something was wrong. "Are you mad at each other," she asked, almost as if she was scared to get in trouble if she did.

"Of course not," Tony retorted.

"You didn't give Pepper a kiss."

He glanced at her suspiciously.

"Rick always kisses Ms. Sarah when he visits."

"Okay, fine." He sighed and turned to Pepper, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Whitney crossed her arms and looked at Tony angrily in an adorable fashion, which made Pepper laugh. "It's supposed to be on the mouth."

"Sometimes kissing someone on the cheek means more than kissing someone on the mouth." She refused to budge, her glare still directed towards him. "I'm a horrible influence on you." She nodded, a grin slipping past her lips. "Aren't I?"

Whitney bobbed her head once again.

"Tony's right," Pepper spoke up. "Sometimes kissing someone on the cheek is better than kissing someone on the lips."

"You should get Pepper flowers."

"Why can't she get me flowers?"

"That's silly." Whitney giggled, her hands coming up to cover her laughter. "Boys are supposed to buy the girls flowers."

"Hey, I want to feel special, too." He mocked hurt and frowned.

She giggled again and stared at Pepper. "Do you like ice cream? I can get you one!"

Pepper smiled. "Um, sure. I would love that."

Tony watched as Whitney slid out the booth. "I'll help you out." Mainly because he didn't want to be stuck with Pepper.

"No, I can do it."

The little girl trotted off, leaving the fighting couple in a bubble of awkward silence. His features had changed in an instant. The happy, carefree persona he had on before was now a stoic, steel one. His eyes were cold, distant, and his shoulders were straight and taught. She couldn't get a reading off him other than his harbored anger. Things had escalated so quickly that she had even forgotten what they were actually fighting about. Was it about his parents? Robert? Their relationship? He was all over the place and it was incredibly frustrating that he refused to talk about it like mature individuals.

The cumulated stress of his situation must had reached maximum capacity and his body's response was to trigger the release of the coiled tension. She wasn't the intended target - it just happened to be her because she was there and because of that, she could look the other way; let it slide, but if he tried anything like that again, Tony was done. This was his last chance and he had better realize it.

"I talked to Robert last night."

He responded bitterly, not the tiniest bit surprised. "Of course you did."

"And Peter," she continued. "Robert purposely picked a fight with you."

"What's your point?"

"I told Robert I never wanted to see him again."

"I don't believe you."

Pepper sighed. "Do you have to be this difficult?"

"What?" He finally turned to face Pepper. "Should I lie to you instead?"

"Well, no." She took a brief pause. "Tony, can we do this minus the arguing? Because I'm willing to let a lot of things slide, like ruining Robert's career for example, just so we can work this out."

"I'm not undoing it. If you fight me on it, I'll have the dean drop him."

"It's a little over the top, don't you think? He shouldn't had said what he did, but this is just as wrong."

"He doesn't deserve to be there to begin with. That's it. I'm not gonna fucking argue with you on this."

"You're the one picking an argument."

"Yeah, well, when you bring up a topic like that, what'd you expect? Me to be nice? Don't kid yourself."

"So you don't even wanna talk at all?"

"If that's the only reason you came, then you can leave."

"It's not. I said I would come last week, so I did. Should you go see how she's doing? It's been awhile."

He waved off her worries. "She's fine."

Pepper nodded and cleared her throat. "You know, Tony, I really didn't know he was going to be there."

He stayed quiet. Once he had calmed down, he realized she'd been telling the truth.

At least he wasn't arguing her on it. "Peter told me he was the one who told him we slept together. I thought you should know that."

"Great," Tony responded. _It still doesn't change anything._

"And about the-"

"I don't wanna hear it," he snapped, catching her off guard. It even made her jump a little out of her seat. "I swear to God, Pepper, I'm about a second away from saying something I'll regret. Drop it."

"What is your problem? I'm trying to fix this, you get that? You could at least meet me half way," she fumed, hoping on some level that'd get through Tony's thick headed skull.

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly willing to fix this just yet, so don't bother. The only reason why I'm even still here is because of Whitney. Other than that, I really don't want to hear what you have to say."

"I finished," Whitney announced at just the right time. She held the bowl of frozen yogurt out to Pepper, a proud expression her face.

Pepper took it from her and smiled. "Thank you. It looks good. I can't wait to try it."

"I heard you fighting," the girl said, sitting down and glancing back and forth between them again.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you no strawberries," Pepper spoke, perfect timing again.

"You don't like strawberries?" Her eyes were wide, she couldn't believe what she just heard. "They're the best!"

"Pepper can't eat them, Whitney," Tony mentioned. "She's allergic to them."

"Oh," the girl said sadly.

"It's okay though," Pepper told her, a smile on her face. "I can eat this side."

"Are you sure," Tony asked concernedly, looking at the cup of frozen yogurt.

"Yeah, there's just candy on this side; I'll be fine." Even though he was mad at her, he was still concerned for her and it made her happy. Sometimes Tony pretended not to care just to hide the fact he did, but she always saw through that.

"Sorry," Whitney apologized.

"Hey, don't be sad. It's okay. You got me my favorite flavor. You should be smiling."

"Really? Original Tart," he asked. "That is boring."

"Don't listen to him; he's just jealous he didn't pick the right one."

Whitney giggled. "Tony told me he didn't like his."

"See? Maybe he would've liked his if he got ours."

"Yeah!" Whitney glanced at Tony. "You should get ours next time."

"I don't know how I feel about you being on her side," Tony said, locking eyes with the little girl. "You've only known her for like five minutes. I'm mad at you. Don't talk to me."

Pepper rolled her eyes at him being dramatic and shook her head.

And Whitney didn't. Besides, she enjoyed talking to Pepper. "Tony took me to the zoo today. There were lots of animals and we even saw an elephant poop!"

Pepper laughed at how excitedly she had said that. "That's gross."

"It wouldn't stop! We made a bet on how long it was gonna take and I won. He bought me a stuffed animal." Whitney grabbed the stuffed baby giraffe that was next to her and showed Pepper.

"Well, that's nice of him. Tony was supposed to take me to the zoo once but he never did. He forgot about our date," she said, glancing at Tony for a second.

"He should go in time out," Whitney replied.

"What?!"

She nodded at Tony's outburst. "That's what Ms. Sarah does when we don't listen."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Pepper said, more amused than anything. "But do you think Tony will make it? I mean, he's sixteen. He's got to stay quiet for that long. I don't think he can."

"Tony talks a lot."

Pepper nodded knowingly. "And sometimes it's annoying."

"Hey, I'm sitting right here," Tony yelled, taking offense to that. "And I'm not annoying. It's called being eccentric. Tell her, Whitney," he said, turning to the five year old. "Make her apologize."

"I like it; it's fun."

"Well, I guess you can never say you get bored."

"See? That's why she's down here," Tony spoke up, using his hand gesture again. "And you're up here."

"Look how bad of a boyfriend he is," Pepper said, her finger pointed at Tony. "He is always mean to me."

"That's not nice," Whitney said, turning her attention to him. "You should be nicer to Pepper or she'll fall in love with someone else."

Tony looked at her, confused as to how she got that train of thought. _What does she know about relationships? She's a five year old._

"Like what happens in the movies."

"Pepper hasn't even told me she loves me. Can you believe that? I told her I loved her like a couple weeks ago and she didn't say it back. She just laughed."

Whitney turned to Pepper and looked at her unbelievingly.

Pepper opened her mouth in surprise at the sudden turn of events and glanced at him, seeing an impish smile on his face. She knew this was his way of getting her back for the time out comment she made earlier. She cleared her throat and looked at the little girl. If she didn't know better, she would say Whitney was expecting her to say 'I love you' back.

"What are you doing," she asked Tony with a forced smile.

Tony shrugged as if he'd done nothing wrong. "We're waiting, Pep. Look at her, don't hurt her feelings."

Pepper smiled, turning to the girl. "Of course I love Tony."

"Yay," Whitney shouted, clapping her hands, before extending them out again just like she did half an hour ago. "This much, right?"

"Yep, I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Aw, thanks, Pep." He smiled affectionately at her and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. "You're the best."

"Of course I am," she retorted, leaning into the kiss he placed on the corner of her lip. "You know what you should do," she asked, pulling back so they could face one another. "I haven't been shopping for three weeks."

"Um..." He could feel himself starting to sweat a bit.

"Carry my bags, buy me whatever I want, and take me out to dinner."

"How about a rain check? I have a lot of stuff to do."

"Oh, so what are you saying? I'm not important enough?"

Whitney watched their conversation back and forth and laughed at Pepper's question, her eyes on Tony as she waited expectantly for his answer.

"Of course you're important." This time it was him who forced a smile. "I'll take Whitney home; then I'll pick you up at your house later tonight."

"See," Pepper asked, looking at Whitney. "That's why he's the best boyfriend in the entire world." If he was going to play games with her, she wouldn't let him win so easily.

"Speaking of home, I think it's time to take you back," Tony told Whitney, to which she frowned.

"I don't wanna go." She crossed her arms, ready to throw a temper tantrum if needed.

"Hey, don't start that crap," he warned her. "Come on, help me out. Throw all this stuff in the trash and then we'll make a pit stop at the beach and get some cotton candy."

"Okay," she said disappointedly, getting out the seat. This time she trotted away slowly, her head hung down.

"You weren't actually serious about earlier, were you," he asked, turning his attention to Pepper.

"You mean about dinner? Yeah, I was. Pick me up around eight," she said with a glare.

"I've already made plans."

"So cancel it."

"I'm not gonna cancel what I've-"

"No, you are," Pepper interrupted, her voice stern. "Because this is more important than whatever it is you were planning to do tonight. I'm serious, Tony. Show up or you won't like what comes next."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I've had enough. You crossed the line yesterday, and I don't care if it was all for show or whatever, the fact is you did and I'm not tolerating it again. If you ever speak to me or grab me like that again, we're over. I'm not joking around."

"Grab you? What are you saying?"

"Exactly you're thinking. I'm not something you can take your frustration out on and I won't be intimidated or coerced into anything I'm not comfortable with. Get it together before dinner tonight and find it, I don't care how, but just do, in yourself to make an effort in fixing this because there's no way I can do it myself. I don't want to do it myself, and if I have to, then that right there tells me all I need to know about us and where this relationship is headed. And don't bother asking where, just look at Robert. He paints a good picture of what will happen."

He stared at her intensely, not saying a word. He knew she was daring him to make another snide comment, so he knew it'd be best if he didn't. His stare broke a moment later as Whitney came back.

"Can I see Pepper again?"

Tony nodded. "Of course." He picked her up and gave her the stuffed giraffe he had gotten for her at the zoo. "I promise you will. We'll even go out for pizza next time. I know that's your favorite food."

"Yay," she happily said; and all of a sudden, her sadness disappeared.

"Whoa," he noted, bouncing her up and down. "I think you ate too much frozen yogurt. You got a bit heavy."

"What?" She gazed at him angrily.

"I'm kidding! You're light as a feather. Wanna say bye to Pepper? She has to go home and get all pretty for our date tonight."

"Bye, Pepper!" Whitney waved to her over Tony's shoulder as he walked off.

Pepper picked up her cup of frozen yogurt and watched them go, hearing Tony talk for just a few seconds. "Where do you think I should take Pepper for dinner? What sounds good to you? Because I've been wanting a cheeseburger since we past In-N-Out, but it's not really romantic, is it? You know what sounds good? Mexican. I feel like having some burritos."

She knew he had cut their visit short just then, but there was no hiding for him tonight. They were going to talk this out and her hope was for them to finally settle their disagreement once and for all.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm glad the last chapter riled some of you guys up! Don't worry, Pepper will not tolerate it and she'll make him work her forgiveness. I got inspired with all the reviews you gave me, so thanks a whole lot, and keep them coming. Hugs all around!<strong>


	35. Lost On The Street

Tony was annoyed. At everything. All he wanted was to be left alone, but he couldn't even have that. Everyone was telling him what to do from left and right and it was infuriating. He could more than well make his own decisions. Sign all this by Monday. We need a replacement chosen by Friday. There's a meeting at ten you have to attend. He had no time for himself. It was always this or that. Two months had passed since his parents' supposed death and people were acting as if nothing happened. Maybe that was how long it took to forget, but for him, not enough time on this Earth could erase the emptiness in his heart. Was it too much to ask for someone to think about him and what he needed for a change? He thought about lighting the building on fire. With everybody inside. This legacy his father had made for himself was a thorn to his side. It was a reminder of what had always been more important and now its presence served an even sadder memory.

He leaned his arm against the interior of the car outside Pepper's house and sighed, squeezing his eyes shut and digging his knuckles into his forehead.

By the time he saw the messages, he jumped to conclusions, his thought clouded by anger and frustration that somewhat had nothing to do with Pepper but more to do with the day he'd had. He was mad, pissed beyond belief, and proceeded to treat her harshly, bitterly, and had bordered controlling. He preyed on her insecurities, her weaknesses, and he hated himself for doing so. He had forgotten about restraint and patience had left the building. He refused to listen and responded with accusations he knew didn't hold an iota of truth, yet he said it anyways, no hesitation at all.

Looking back on it now, he could see how asinine he had acted. Everything he'd been keeping inside had bursted and he had chosen her as target practice. He wasn't proud of what he'd done and knew he crossed the line as Pepper put it earlier today. He had backed her into a corner and all but interrogated her for no reason at all. He'd gotten physical and regretfully so. He never meant to do that and he'd apologize for his actions tonight.

_"More bad news for Stark Industries. Major deals are falling apart and shares are being sold. Just today, stocks plummeted 8% and is expected to decline another 12% this weekend. With the COO MIA, sole heir to the company, Anthony Stark, is left to take the helm. The million dollar question is if he can handle it, and if so, will he succeed? Sure, the kid is smart, but immaturity and inexperience will speak for itself. Can he keep the business afloat? Will it remain the number one weapons manufacturing company in the world? Only time can tell. The Board of Directors have voiced their opinions and unanimously agree the boy is too young to take the reigns and have made it clear that they are desperately searching for a loophole, but little progress has been made. However, given the fact the boy is sixteen with a bright future ahead, analysts believe Stark will step down and not take the throne until his twenty first birthday, maybe even longer as he is expected to enroll at MIT in late Fall 2017. A private ceremony has been set at Woodlawn next weekend for the tragic loss of Howard and Maria Stark and is expected to be open to the public once procession is over. Tune in tonight for updates." _

A sudden knock crept up on him, and despite the radio playing, he jumped. "What the hell!" He turned his head, his heart racing, and saw Pepper glancing worriedly at him through the glass window of his car. He had to have dozed off.

He groaned and got out with the bouquet of flowers he had picked up earlier for her. "Here."

Pepper smiled and took the bouquet of white and lavender roses. They were beautiful and he'd gotten them in her favorite color. "Thanks." It was a nice sentiment and was probably his first attempt at apologizing for his behavior. "I'm gonna put these in water. I'll be back in a couple minutes."

"About that." He cleared his throat. "Look, I don't want you to think I don't care, so I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm exhausted, Pepper. I don't have the energy to go out with you to dinner tonight. It's too much for me, so could we maybe reschedule for next Friday or whatever? Because I can't do this right now."

"Oh," she mumbled, disappointed, but hiding it well.

"You're not upset?"

"What's the point?"

"I kind of thought-"

"I mean, I guess it could had been nice if you told me beforehand so I didn't have to get dressed up, but you didn't."

"Here we go," Tony muttered.

"You say you don't want me to think you don't care, but your actions say otherwise."

"Fine, if you're going to be like this, then let's go," he huffed. "Get in the fucking car."

"Don't speak to me like that."

"Yeah, well, it's sorta hard not to when you keep picking an argument for no reason."

She scoffed. "I'm picking an argument? I'm trying to explain to you how I feel, Tony."

"And so was I, but you could care less about that, right?"

"Fine, tell me," she replied, glaring daggers into his eyes.

He gazed back with equal intensity. "Forget it. I'm done."

That threw her in for an unexpected loop. "You're done?"

"Yeah," he stated. "With you, with everybody. I'm tired. I'm tired of having to constantly explain myself to you, to the media, to the idiots at Stark Industries. It's fucking frustrating. I can't do this any longer. Everyone's expecting this or that out of me and when I fall short, I get blamed for it and I'm putting an end to it now. Do you understand what I've been through? What I'm still going through? Because if you do, you're doing a shit job at it. Everyone is. As long as you get what you want, that is all that matters, right? Forget how I feel." His voice cracked a little. "You did it just now, Pep. I say I'm exhausted and it's like you don't even hear me. I should have told you? Yeah, well, I would have if I had the opportunity, but taking care of SI is extremely difficult, especially when no body's there to help out. When the people there would rather you fail than help succeed. I've got enough to deal with and everyone wants me to think about them, and sure, at first it's not much, but it builds, and I'm just at the end of my breaking point. And those?" He pointed to the bouquet of roses he'd given her. "They're just a lame attempt at lessening the blow, because as difficult as it sounds, I don't like making you angry. Or sad. I guess it's just not paying off. I didn't come here intending to say this, but maybe we should take a break from each other."

"A break," she repeated, his words sinking in. Her facial expression turned solemn and she couldn't help the tears building up in the corner of her eyes. Her anger faded as quickly as it had appeared. If he would had told her what he was going through earlier, this would not be happening to them.

She wiped the tears with the palm of her hand and nodded. He was talking but she wasn't listening. Why was this happening to her? She didn't deserve it, but it was on her. She knew from the get go that being in a relationship with Tony wouldn't be easy, but she never expected it to be so hard.

"Look, it's only temporary." He walked up to Pepper and drew his brows together, stuck on what to do or how to go. "I don't like the person I'm becoming; I don't want to hurt you like I did yesterday." He helped wipe a missed fallen tear and smiled, a sad one at that. "I'm sorry about how I acted and I'm sorry for everything I said. I know it doesn't change what I did, but I thought apologizing might make a difference. If you want to hit me or slap me, or something, I've got no problem with it."

"I'm alright," Pepper whispered as he stepped up to let her do so. Hitting him won't make a difference, but she knew he only offered so she'd feel better. Maybe they both needed distance. Maybe this was the step in the right direction. Maybe they needed space to get through this. She could try, and like he said, it was temporary.

He rubbed his hand up and down her arm hoping to soothe away the pain he had brought onto her tonight. "You look really pretty if that means anything."

"Don't try to make me feel better." He had no right and she was furious that Tony was trying to lighten their situation with compliments. "Just go, alright?"

He retracted his hand and nodded. He wasn't going to make this any harder on her.

"Tony," she called out as he got to his car door. He whipped around. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Oh, you mean like what Ross did to Rachel on FRIENDS?"

She laughed despite how she felt. "You know about that?"

"Yeah, mom loves it." He made his way over to her and grabbed her hand that was free of roses. "I promise," he added for affirmation, seeing the doubt in her eyes. "I know what we have and I'm not gonna screw this up." He leaned in and kissed Pepper's cheek softly, but meaningful. She could feel his warm breath on her skin and for just a minute she wanted to turn her head and press her lips to his and forget about the fight and the pain that accompanied it. She chose not to and he had pulled back before she could.

"See ya, Potts." The left side of his lips quirked up in a smile before he turned to leave. To his surprise, she stopped him by grabbing onto his wrist. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just gonna miss you," she honestly replied. They'd spent a month apart; who knew how long it'd be until they saw each other again this time around. Like time, he was unpredictable.

"We're still lab partners, aren't we?"

"It doesn't matter when you're never at school."

He sighed. "Okay, uh, I'll try to make it Monday." As much as he needed a break from her, he knew he couldn't close her off completely. It didn't feel right in his heart for him to do that.

"You know if you miss too much class, you're gonna get kicked out."

"Not like I need a diploma."

"That's not a good excuse."

"Look, I get you're just looking out for me, but you don't need to. I'll be fine, Pepper."

"Will you quit saying that, Tony, cause you're not and it doesn't help that you're lying about it. I mean, you said you wanted me to listen, and I'm more than willing to do that, but you're gonna have to trust me and let go a little."

He looked at her, knowing Pepper was right. He reached for her, pulling her into a hug she wasn't expecting. She wrapped her arms around his middle, affectionately squeezing him. "You're too honest."

"No one else will with you."

"That can't be a perk of having a girlfriend."

She smiled into his chest, knowing she'd just gotten through to him, even if it was just a little. She pulled away and looked into his eyes and for the first time she could see a bit of sparkle in them. Her eyes closed when she felt him kiss the side of her neck; she squeezed Tony one last time before letting go. "You're tired. Should you be driving? It'll be alright if you stayed the night and left tomorrow."

"Is your dad there?"

Pepper laughed lightly at his question. "Yeah, but he's upstairs. My mom's worried about you. She's the one who told me you were out here. If she didn't notice, I think you'd still be out here sleeping."

"You really think it-"

"I'll feel better if you do," she said, knowing he couldn't resist that. "What if something happens and I could've prevented it? I'll feel terrible."

He wasn't going to be difficult. Plus, a bed sounded pretty good right now.

"What happened to going out," Victoria asked as the young couple entered the living room. One look at Tony and she had her suspicions confirmed. The boy was exhausted. "You don't look good, Tony."

He offered Victoria a shrug of his shoulders.

"Is it alright if Tony spends the night here?"

"Oh," Victoria said, surprised by her request. "Sure." She smiled, but was stern in a second. "He sleeps on the floor or on this couch though."

"Got it, mom." Pepper made her way up the stairs, Tony following behind.

"She's never gonna trust me, is she," he asked once he heard Victoria yell out that they had to keep the door opened.

"No," she plainly stated.

He smirked and kicked off his shoes. "Awesome."

Pepper raised her brows. "Really? It's awesome?"

"Yeah, I mean, it'd be weird if she did." His hand moved up to his neck and his fingers go to the knot of his tie to loosen it before sliding the silk material out the collar of his dress shirt. "It'd be amazing if she liked me, but I'd rather earn it than be handed it."

"She's warming up to you," Pepper said, the realization hitting her at the same time. She'd have to ask her mom about it later, but she had a feeling it was because she could relate to him. Her mother had lost her father at thirteen due to cancer.

"Every time I pass your dad I get this feeling he wants to shoot me." Sliding his hands down his chest, he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, tossing it next to his tie on the bed. "Should I apologize?"

"Well, he is upstairs," Pepper reminded him.

"Yeah, but it'll be a lot safer if I did it at SI."

"Sounds like someone's afraid."

"Hey, I go up there and he can claim self defense. But work? No. You know I'm his boss now, right? He reports to me and all that stuff. I think there's a meeting in a few days and he's gonna be there."

She chuckled and watched as his hands move to his belt buckle, unclasping it and pulling it out of the loops. "Don't ever say that to my dad. Is that where you came from?" She wondered why he even dressed up if he planned to cancel on her, but now she realized maybe he'd driven here straight from Stark Industries.

"Yeah. If you can't tell, I hate being there."

_Progress, finally. _He was opening up to her.

"But then again I could just fire everyone," he said, to himself in particular, as he thought about it. "Wait, that is actually not a horrible idea."

"No," Pepper said, shutting down the idea.

"But," he pouted.

"No, Tony. End of conversation."

"You don't know what it's like there, Pep."

"So tell me." She walked up to him with hopes he would do so. "Don't keep it bottled inside. It's not healthy. Look what happened Saturday."

He sighed and averted his gaze, and in that split second, his eyes caught something. He brushed past her lightly to get a better look. Everything that'd been on her modernized storage shelf before had disappeared. "You took all the stuff down."

"Yeah, I did," she said, walking up to him.

He instantly felt bad. "Pepper, look, I overreacted." He turned around and faced her. "I shouldn't had acted the way I did. It's just that I was so furious and he made me feel like I meant nothing to you. And I know that isn't true because you're one of the only people who's stuck along, who's willing to put up with my crap. You sat on the bleachers for nearly two hours just so you could apologize and I ignored you; I snapped. And you're right, I should be the one apologizing: for doubting you, for saying what I said, for making you cry, for worrying you; for hurting you, but I promise, Pepper, it'll never happen again."

"Tony, an apology doesn't erase what happened. You really scared me."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He'd been afraid of that. "I would have never taken it that far." He felt a need to defend himself, even if his words were futile.

"And I want to believe you, but I don't know if I can. This person you're becoming, I don't know what he's capable of and I'm not sure I'll stick around to find out."

How was he supposed to respond to that? She just told him she was afraid to be with him.

"If you're telling the truth, then you'll change. Because if you don't, this is just gonna happen all over again and I refuse to be another target. Once and I can understand, but twice, Tony, I'm finished."

"So I'll try. That sounds good?"

"You have to mean it though."

"I do."

"You should try because you want to, not because I said so."

"I did tell you I didn't like the person I was becoming earlier."

"And?"

"And I want to change," he honestly said. "That's why I think we should take a break, so I can get my head straight."

"Alright." She liked what she was hearing, proud Tony had recognized that by himself. "I'll get a vase for these roses."

He nodded and took off his pants once she left before diving into Pepper's bed, the comfort of her blanket surrounding him. He grabbed a pillow and made himself comfortable, going into dreamland the instant his eyes closed.

* * *

><p><strong>So they're broken up, but not really. Hope you guys can settle with that. I'll say it once again, reviews are definitely amazing motivators. :)<strong>


	36. No Time To Waste

Pepper awoke in the middle of the night thinking he was still next to her, but to her dismay, after rubbing her eyes to keep them from shutting, she noticed how cold it was beside her. It was the middle of the night, 3:46 to be exact. She snuggled further into her covers and sighed.

A break. That was what he said he wanted. When in reality what they needed was to talk things out. If only he could understand that and not take it the wrong way, but he wouldn't. Her mind went to what ifs and she thought about the times where if she had been a little braver, pushed further; did this instead of that, things would be different. What if she had shown up at his doorstep the moment she found out about his parents? Would things be different? What if instead of waiting on him to come to her she had refused and took matters into her own hands? What about then? Would things be different? Her brain responded to her inquiries with a simple statement. Yes, it would. But did it mean anything at this very minute? No, it didn't. It couldn't. Because saying it did meant she could turn back time, which was impossible.

"Pepper?" _Great, now he's in my head. _Or at least that's what she thought until she heard him walking into her room. She stayed still, not moving an inch, to see what he would do.

"Pepper?" He stopped next to the bed and frowned. She was immersed into the blankets, her back facing him.

She turned around and laid on her back, glancing up at him.

"I'm hungry."

"Are you serious," she asked in a flat tone, sitting up. "You woke me up because you want something to eat?"

He thought about replying, but went against it. A silence filled the room as he glanced at her with trepidation.

"Please?" Tony stared at her hopefully and nudged the bed with his leg.

"There's plenty of food in the cabinets. Find whatever you want."

"But I want something hot," he said, acting like a petulant child.

She sighed. "Fine."

"Really," he asked, eyes lighting up. He took a step back and let her get out of bed.

She hated that look; hated that it got her to cave in just seconds after.

"When did you leave my room," Pepper asked, adopting a softer tone as they made their way downstairs and into the kitchen.

"About an hour ago. Didn't want to get you in trouble with your mom."

She smiled to herself and nodded. "So what sounds good? Hot pocket?"

"Hot pocket? What the hell is that," he asked, looking into the freezer.

"This?" She held it in front of his face. "You've never seen one before?"

"I've never even heard of it," he replied, taking it from her and examining it. "What's it like?"

"Kinda like a calzone. It's really good." She took a plate out and let it heat in the microwave.

He sat down and watched as Pepper did so and fiddled his thumbs, not knowing what to say.

"It's really hot, so be careful." Knowing Tony, he'd just shove it in his mouth.

"Thanks." He picked it up and sniffed it. Shrugging, he took a bite. It wasn't too bad. "This is actually pretty good. What's inside? Well, except the cheese, because that's obvious."

"It's just that and ham."

"You bought them at the market?"

"Where else would you get them?"

"Is it near the pizza rolls?"

"Yeah, it should be around that area."

"Next to the frozen pizzas inside the-"

She cut him off before he could finish, not sure why he was asking these ridiculous questions. "Tony, you don't have to make small talk. If you want to be left alone, just tell me."

Tony looked at her, lost and confused.

She grew frustrated when she saw his blank stare. "Never mind." Getting up, she made her way out the kitchen but stopped just before she did. "You know what? I actually thought we made progress last night and you're here acting like you're in hell or something."

He didn't understand. What was happening? Why was she upset?

"You're not going to defend yourself?"

"Uh, I would, if I had a clue what the hell you were talking about." He dropped his snack and stared pointedly at her. "All I did was ask a freaking question. It wasn't me trying to get rid of you, Pepper."

"Then why your ridiculous questions?"

"I was serious! Believe it or not, I don't ever go grocery shopping."

One look at Tony and Pepper could tell he had told the truth. "Oh."

"Yeah," he replied in a mocking manner. "Get off your high horse."

She sighed. What was she supposed to do? She'd been wrong and had picked a fight for no reason. "So you're telling me you only asked because you've recently stepped into a store for the first time?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No. Just surprised."

"Whatever," he mumbled, picking up his hot pocket; taking a bite.

"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. You didn't deserve that kind of treatment. But don't sit there and tell me you wouldn't rather be alone than be in the same room as me because I can feel it."

"Of course I would. We just decided to take a break. It's awkward."

"Our entire dynamic's changed since the benefit. You've changed."

"You don't think I know that? My parents were assassinated; that changes a person." He didn't understand how she didn't think it would. "And I said I'd work on it. What else could you possibly want?"

"You won't let me in or let me take care of you because you think it's not my job, that in some way it puts a burden on me if you did, but it doesn't. I can promise that."

"I'm not gonna sit down and pour my feelings out on a silver platter for you, Pepper. It's not who I am. If you want a boyfriend who does that, then go find one, because it'll never happen if you're with me. Quit having these expectations because chances are I won't live up to them." His eyes locked with hers a second longer before he got up and left for the front door. The ball was in her court. It was her decision to accept him as is or find someone else that had no problem giving her what she needed.

She sighed, not sure what to do. His emotions seemed to be on a roller coaster ride these days. He could go from sweet, mad, charming to downright rude in an instant.

* * *

><p>"So is there any truth to the rumors going around," Kristin asked as Pepper took a seat across from her at the table in the quad.<p>

"I still can't believe someone overheard everything. It's embarrassing."

"Pepper, stop exaggerating. It's just bits and pieces. All anyone knows is that he beats up your ex and comes out seething after."

"We had a fight," she admitted. There wasn't a point in hiding what the entire school knew. "I don't know what to do. He's distant, he's moody and distracted. I feel like I could lose him at any second."

"Don't think about it like that. I mean, Tony is still around. That helps."

"Only to apologize and he only does it because he thinks it makes up for what he did and it doesn't. What if he's tired of me?" It was always something she feared and now it seemed to be coming true.

"That's just stupid. Everyone sees how he looks at you. He knows you only do it because you care."

"Try the exact opposite. He thinks I do it because I want to control him. He made that pretty clear."

"I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"Hey, you know who I just ran into in the hall," said a voice behind her back. It was Scarlett. Kristin had introduced Pepper to her during the first week of school and they both instantly became friends. "Rex. There's gonna be a party tonight and you'll never guess where." She sat the flyer down and let them read it.

"Oh. My. God." Pepper annunciated every word; then was at a loss of words.

In big bold print read: **TONIGHT - 11PM. PARTY OF THE CENTURY. MUSIC, FOOD, BOOZE, POOL. GUYS BRING YOUR TRUNKS, GIRLS...OPTIONAL.**

Kristin turned to Pepper, still shocked. "Is he serious?"

"It's nothing new," Scarlett piped in. "He's always had these kind of parties."

"Yeah, but this time he has a girlfriend," she shot back, gesturing to Pepper.

Scarlett turned to Pepper. "What are you going to do?"

* * *

><p>"Hey, pass these around," Tony said, shoving a stack of flyers into Rex's chest. "And make sure one gets to Pepper."<p>

"What is it?"

"Party after the game tonight."

"Seriously? You're finally hosting another party? It's been forever."

"Months in fact. But, yeah. I'm in a good mood."

Rex laughed. "Got it. I'll spread the word for ya."

"Great," he smirked.

"What are you doing," asked a voice as Rex rounded the corner and was out of site.

Tony glanced at his friend, who had an unimpressed look on his face, before giving a flyer to a group of passing girls.

"Guys bring your trunks, girls...optional," Rhodey yelled.

"You're welcome."

Rhodey rolled his eyes when he heard Tony's smug tone. "Has Pepper seen this? She's going to flip out and kill you."

"She will. It's not like she's not invited. Hey," he called out to several volleyball girls. He gave them his signature smile and handed them each a flyer. "Party at my house tonight. Bring a swimsuit." The girls giggled and blushed. "But if you decide to go all natural I'm fine with that, too."

That was enough. He grabbed Tony's shoulder and dragged him off to the side about to smack some sense into him.

"Back the hell off!" Tony broke free and stared at his friend angrily.

"What are you doing? You're acting like a total-"

"Prick," he finished. "That was what you were going to say, right?" He straightened his jacket and glared at Rhodey. "I'm gonna do what I fucking want for a change. If you don't like it, don't show up."

* * *

><p>"I don't think I can do this." She thought she was strong enough to walk through those doors, but now she wasn't. She turned around and looked at Kristin and Scarlett. "Let's just go watch a movie."<p>

"We're already here and we all agree that you should confront him. What he's doing isn't right. It's disrespectful; it's insensitive. Remember what we talked about, Pepper. We'll be here to help you out."

"That doesn't make me feel better," she informed Kristin.

Scarlett sighed. "Look, let's just see what he's up to. If it's nothing, we'll leave. He'll never know we were here."

They both look at Pepper and waited.

Pepper bit her lip as she looked at the gate in front of her. She was sure there was nothing going on. After all, she did trust him. There was just the nagging voice in the back of her head that wanted to know what he was up to. "Okay," she said, dreadfully at that.

"Tony's gonna be shocked."

"Wonder what he'll do when he sees her." The two of them ran to catch up to Pepper, but they all were stopped at the door by a group of football players standing guard.

"Clothes off. Or you're not entering," one of them stated.

"What?!" Both Kristin and Scarlett seemed shocked. Pepper, on the other hand, did not.

"Tony's rules."

"That's not necessary," said Rhodey, quickly walking up to them. He was so glad Pepper had came. "I'm sure Tony wouldn't like it if you refused his girlfriend at the door."

Pepper shot him a look of relief as none of the players objected.

"Wait, rules don't apply to her only," said the player on the left.

"But we didn't bring our swimsuits."

The first football player spoke again. "Clothing's optional, right?"

"Just wait here," Pepper said to her friends. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, just leave."

Kristin and Scarlett were concerned.

"I'll be fine. I'll have my brother take me back."

"Be careful." With a word of caution, they said their goodbyes and parted ways. Kristin and Scarlett back to the car and Pepper towards the pool party.

"You look like you could use a drink." She turned around. He was blonde, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. "I saw you wandering around. You looking for somebody?"

Pepper smiled. "Kinda."

"You're the only chick here dressed."

"And?"

"And I'm wondering how you pulled that off. Tony runs a strict program."

"Let's just say I'm special."

The blonde hummed. "Right. I'm Chris." He extended his hand out, glad she accepted.

"Pepper."

"Pepper? How original. You attend Atlas High? Please don't tell me you're a freshman."

"What if I was?"

Chris leaned against the wall and shrugged. "I'd be disappointed." He handed her his unopened can of beer and pointed at her. "You look like someone who's hard to crack. Which is great because I love puzzles."

Pepper scoffed. "You gotta do better than that."

He laughed, embarrassed. "That wasn't supposed to be a pick up line. Let me explain. I'm a Psych major. We're doing profiles."

She cast her head down, her cheeks reddening.

"It's my fault," Chris said, taking responsibility. "I should had phrased it better, but don't be embarrassed. And I would have asked if you wanted to get out of here, but something told me you'd say no. Probably because you have a boyfriend. Who's in...water polo? Basketball? Baseball? Football? Yep. Bingo." Her expression told him that. "Good news is that I know where they are, but the bad news is that they're doing body shots off the cheerleaders at Rockwell High. You sure you wanna subject yourself to that? I wouldn't."

"Well, lucky for him, I'm the confrontational kind of girlfriend."

"Yeah, I guessed that, too." He gestured Pepper to start walking with him to the North end of the area. "So how special are you to Tony?" She glanced at Chris and faked confusion. "It's just I heard he was single again. You're having troubles with your boyfriend. Not that I'm saying you're that kinda girl, but I'd think about it."

"I'm not interested. Plus, I'm sure he's found some other girl."

"Yeah, he was sort of plastered earlier. But I've got to say, he knows how to have fun."

Her stomach churned at those words. "Are you saying you saw Tony leave with a girl?"

"No, but I wouldn't be surprised," Chris said, oblivious to her stomach rioting again. Her hand had squeezed the beer can and she could've sworn she felt it pierce her skin. "There were girls all over him, but he didn't look too interested."

She breathed a small sigh of relief and looked around. Chris had been telling the truth. In the middle of the crowd was a girl in a bikini lying down on a table and a guy was doing a shot off her stomach. She heard someone call another female name, who proceeded to take her shirt off, to which all the men whistled and hollered. One look at her body and it would make any girl envious.

Everyone waited in anticipation, as did Pepper. The man holding the microphone was handed a folded piece of paper. "Looks like it's Stark's turn!" Everyone proceeded to applaud and scream expect her.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I'm cruel for leaving it at that. But how many of you actually think he'll do it? Well, it turns out I'm editing the next chapter as we speak and it will be finished within the week, so stay tuned for a quick update! <strong>


	37. Breathe In Breathe Out

She wished she could peel off the piece of anger that was smothering her heart. What was the point in staying? She sure as hell wouldn't watch him. She turned away from the crowd and quickly sought out a drink for her arid mouth.

"Pepper!" She had heard the same voice call her earlier and had ignored it. Turned out the person was Rhodey. He had seen her in the crowd the minute she rushed off and he had immediately ran after her.

She didn't know Rhodey all that much, but they had a class together.

He plainly stated, a little out of breath, "He's not there. I don't know where he's at, but he is not there." He emphasized it again just so he was sure Pepper heard him. "Tony is a complete idiot, but he would also do anything he can to not disappoint the people he cares about."

"Right," Pepper sarcastically replied.

"I thought the same thing a year ago. Look, Pepper, he's messed up. Tony's damaged, but not beyond repair. I've never seen him put so much effort into anything the three years I've known him like he does with you. I mean, and don't tell him I told you, but the second he saw you, he was hooked. He literally spent thirty minutes talking about you after school; it was disturbing. But then I saw the way you guys interacted and I understood way before he did. You can hold your own against him and you don't take crap from him and he needs someone like that in his life. You know he was never going to talk to you again? I found him in the locker room that one time just sitting there, heartbroken. He was hurt you turned him down, but he was more upset at himself for having let someone get to him the way you had. Because he's spent his entire life building this wall up to protect himself from that very situation. I convinced him that he should go to your house and apologize for snapping at you and he did. He didn't do what I thought he would, but it still worked and I'd like to believe that night was the catalyst for you two being together."

"If you're saying all this just so I'll-"

"I'm not. Tony's dealing with a lot of crap at the moment. He's running SI, he has school, and he's looking for his parents."

"You actually believe they're alive?"

"Tony had a compelling argument and I couldn't refute it."

"How? You could easily argue that-"

"Maybe if you had bothered to hear the entire story, you would understand," Rhodey said sternly. "How it's going, what progress he's made...that doesn't matter. All Tony wants is support and he came to you for that."

"I know." Pepper played with the ring of water the shot glass had imprinted onto the counter and sighed. Her anger subsided as she took into consideration what Rhodey had said.

"Try the pool house. Code's 8201, but it's also fingerprinted to the touch. JARVIS might let you in."

"Thanks." She offered him a sincere smile and got up. "And your secret's safe with me. I won't tell him anything you said."

The pool house wasn't far, and by the time she got to it, she took a moment to admire how beautiful it was. The party was isolated from it, but there were a few kids that had sneaked onto the property for a bit of fun.

The building resembled something out of the 1930's. The pool house had a Limestone façade, a French door to create a pavilion effect, pilasters, and carved Masonic motifs that trimmed the exterior. It was a perfect compliment to the main home.

She reached the door and frowned when she punched the code in and was denied. "Damn it." She just about attempted again when she heard the door unlock. "Thanks, JARVIS."

"You're welcome, Ms. Potts."

"Yeah, that's still weird," she muttered. She still couldn't believe his AI system existed.

Pepper walked into an open living room, its décor matching the exterior of the building perfectly. Uncolored, glazed poplar planks highlighted the walls and ceilings, matching the Limestone tiled floor. She took a peek around the corner and could see doors to rooms. She didn't want to snoop, but she had to find him. She was about to go down that very hall when she heard a familiar song playing from the right end of the room. Her vision was blocked by a wall. The music became louder as she silently rounded the corner. She would never guess he knew how to play the piano, but the fact he could wasn't that surprising.

She listened as he played the instrumental piece to A Thousand Years, curious as to why he had chosen that song. It was odd, especially since she had no idea he knew it.

Tony finished playing and sighed, staring at the keys for a minute. He hadn't sat down on a piano bench and played since he was six, but something about tonight compelled him to do it. He was rusty, but he chalked it up to having not played in a decade. He only threw the party to get his mind off his hectic life, but no surprise, it hadn't worked. So he took a bottle of scotch and went to the pool house to wait the party out. He had great memories here; there was solace in that.

"You're really good at that." She descended down a series of steps to get closer to him.

He jumped at her voice and turned around. The last thing he expected was her being here, and he wasn't referring to their current location. "How did you get in...Rhodey," he angrily realized. "I'm gonna kick his ass." He slammed the piano cover down and stood up.

"Don't." She grabbed his arm as he passed her and silently plead for him to leave it be.

"You came here to spy on me?" His tone resembled that of an interrogator questioning his suspect, similiar to last time, but the only difference was that today it was under control.

"Maybe just a little," Pepper admitted. "I'm guessing you're mad."

"More like disappointed," he corrected. "I didn't do anything, Pep."

"I know," she softly said.

"So my promise was all bullshit to you."

"What? No!"

"Why else would you spy on me for? It's that you don't trust me."

"That's not true."

"Fine, it's that you don't trust me enough," he corrected. "What did you think? That'd I get myself so drunk to the point where I forgot about you and took some girl in here to fuck her? I'm not that stupid."

He ran a hand through his hair and was suddenly exhausted by it all. Being at odds with Pepper for the last week was physically draining. He was working himself up over nothing. The doctors had told him he didn't need any more stress. He headed to the bar and hunched over its side, his head hung, his hand grabbing the scotch filled glass and he looked into it. He didn't want to fight, which was why he'd left her house last night.

He realized he was similiar to his father. The look of anger that told everyone in his path that with enough motivation he was capable of any extreme. And that scared him. He did not want to become his dad.

"I don't think you would do that." She had to be the one to swallow her pride and admit she was wrong. "I also came over because I needed to apologize." It was the only way they would smooth things over.

"For what?" He twisted his head to look at her as she approached.

"I've been acting like you're the one responsible for where we are and you aren't. It's like 12% my fault."

"12%?" He shook his head at how random her number had been.

"Well, I'm not 15% at fault, but I know I'm more than 10." She wasn't sure why she was elaborating, but this little moment was reminding her of how they used to be.

"I don't even know how to respond to that."

"You don't have to." She cleared her throat and leaned in closer to him. His shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit and she felt relieved. She knew she was still in uncharted territory, so she tread lightly. "I can go."

"No," he immediately said. "Don't." He turned in his seat and faced her. "I just..." He trailed off, sighing. She tried searching his eyes to see if his wall of defense was raised and was more than sure it wasn't.

"You don't want to fight anymore."

"Yeah," he said, averting his gaze.

She felt the same. "I don't either."

"Now what?" He looked at Pepper, waiting for guidance.

"Well, we have to talk about it. You can't just sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen."

"Great," he muttered. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "Can't wait." He brought the glass of scotch up to his lips and downed it.

"It's not gonna work if you go into it with that attitude."

"Sorry," he apologized.

She walked to the sofa and sat down, him trailing behind and eventually leaning against the crook of it, facing her. "Maybe we could start off with what's been bothering you?" She would let him set the pace.

He complemented the choices and made a decision. "Saturday."

"I didn't know he would be there."

"But you didn't say anything even when you found out."

Knowing his statement was right, she averted her gaze.

"And you were never gonna."

"He blames you for us breaking up and he told me he wanted a second chance," Pepper admitted. This was all breaking news to him and he was desperately trying not to get himself riled up over this. "I told him no and you can guess how well it turned out. I didn't care what he had to say because he doesn't matter to me anymore. His words mean nothing. I had every intention of telling you when we saw each other again, but I just didn't think it'd be the same day. I was unprepared; I thought I'd have time to figure out how to bring it up. And don't get me started on the shit you brought up. I understand most of it was because of Robert and you weren't level headed, but it doesn't make what you said any less hurtful, Tony. I mean, just to make sure, you do know we aren't together cause of an explosion, right? That the reason we slept together wasn't because I felt bad for you."

He debated on lying to her, but chose truth instead. "I know it's not because of that, I was just upset, but could you still tell me why though," he asked. Mostly because he needed to be reassured.

"I realized how huge of a mistake I made, but you made a point that day." Once he heard that, he tensed up. "Maybe we wouldn't be where we are at this second, but I don't doubt that we wouldn't be here eventually. It's just that what happened accelerated things, kinda how when a force is applied to an object, its velocity picks up. Does that make sense?"

Tony didn't respond, but his eyes widened. Pepper had just mentioned physics to describe their relationship.

"What?" Pepper glanced at him, confused. "Did I say that wrong?" She had worked on it for hours. "A force applied to an object causes-"

"Would you slap me if I kissed you?"

"Would I...what?" She didn't understand his sudden transition in topic. "What are you talking-" She was cut off with a sudden kiss, which she tried to pull back from, but he was having none of it. He muffled her gasp and his hand went to her hair, pulling her closer as he switched gears and turned the kiss from innocent to fiery and consuming.

Then, as if on cue, the gears in her own brain switched and she moaned, kissing him back. She missed this part of their relationship and could feel the kiss they were sharing was one he had been wanting to let out for quite awhile.

"Tony, stop it," she said in between kisses. She put her hands on his chest and pushed him back as hard as she could. "You do not kiss someone in the middle of an argument!"

"Yeah, well, you kissed back...so who's fault is it really, Pepper?"

"For a second!"

"More like ten."

"Okay...back to what were talking about."

"You're like nine thousand times hotter when you talk science."

"Why do guys get turned on when girls say stuff like that?"

"Because it's hot. Duh. Do you know anything about cars?"

Pepper could see it in his face that he was hoping she did. "No."

"Oh," he said disappointedly. "Alright, so you really believe we'd be together? That's kind of nice to hear," he smiled. "And, on the record, I want to apologize for everything I said that day. I was in a bad mood and your ex was just baiting me with all this crap and I fell for it. I shouldn't had twisted our words around or exploited them to suit my needs. It was wrong of me to do that."

"Apology accepted." She cleared her throat and transitioned to a much more difficult topic. Tony's parents. "So about the thing that started all this..."

"What about that?"

"Well, Rhodey told me there was more to the story and I had laid all my thoughts about it on you before you ever finished. If you still want to tell me about it, I'll gladly listen."

"You know what hurts? The fact that if they are out there...they did this to me," he confessed, his voice broken. "I'm so mad at them, but then I remember this has to be hard on them, too. Especially mom. People think she's strong because she's been with dad for so long, but she isn't."

"Maybe they didn't have a choice."

"The more I think about it, the more I think they knew this would happen for months. I thought me working at SI was to prepare me for taking over in the future, but if you take a step back, me being there for every meeting, him teaching me how to handle business, spot the fakes...it feels purposely set up."

"So now you think he did it to prepare you for this."

"If he hadn't, I wouldn't know crap, giving the Board a good enough reason to overrule dad's decision."

"They're still trying to. I heard in the news they're-"

"You know what's funny? In their contracts, it clearly states if a new CEO rises, said CEO has the right to terminate them if he deems the person unfit for company operations." He was going to blurt that out at the funeral and fire each and every one of them. Spring cleaning. Make a debacle of it all. Or demote them to assistants as he promoted their assistants. He wasn't sure which one he'd pick just yet, but he was sure of one thing, he'd win with either decison.

"I don't know how to run a company, but isn't that a bad idea," she questioned.

"I've got people lined up. I've done the research, the interviews. It'll be alright."

She still wasn't sure, but it was his business, his company. She knew nothing about it, which made her opinion meaningless.

"I got this package and inside it was this bow tie. I didn't think anything of it and then I noticed Waffles...do you remember-"

She smiled. "The teddy bear. It's cute that you carry it around."

"I don't carry it around," he argued, like a child. "No one knows about Waffles expect my parents, Rhodey, and you. He's got a bow tie and I realized it was the same size as the one that was sent to me, that it was the same color as his fur. Isn't that weird?"

Okay, so she had to admit, Rhodey was right. She couldn't refute that if what Tony said was true.

"And that's why I started looking into it. I know it sounds stupid to do, but it's-"

"It's not," Pepper interrupted. "You're holding on to what you think is right in your heart and that's not stupid. It's brave in a sense. I'm just worried things might not end up the way you think it will because the effects will hurt that much worse."

"That's what you were trying to warn me about?"

"Yeah. So do you have any idea where they are?"

"It's impossible."

She understood. If his parents didn't want to be found, they'd make sure of it.

"They're going to kill me for what I did to the house."

A laugh escaped her lips. "You had a good reason to."

"Maybe it's just not safe for them to come back yet. Or maybe they're still taking care of whoever did this first."

"Does that mean you've quit searching?"

"I don't have the time," Tony responded. "But JARVIS is helping me."

Pepper nodded.

When a silence fell between them, he took the opportunity to ask, "We okay?"

"We're fine," she confirmed.

* * *

><p>"Is it done," a voice asked with a sense of urgency.<p>

"Six hours."

"When?" That was the only question that mattered, the one question she'd been asking since this entire thing began. After being patient, understanding, and strong, she could finally see the light.

"Friday. Just in time for the funeral. Ironic, isn't it?"

She sighed, then chuckled. It was a relief to know she had not been put through this ordeal for nothing.

"I spoke to Fury. He's getting into trouble, but it's nothing terrible."

"I miss him so much." She walked over to the window and stared out the city lights like she'd been doing the last two months. "It's been too long. He's going to hate us."

"Us? Me, yeah. You, impossible." He put both his hands on her shoulders and ran them up and down her arms to help soothe her fears.

She sniffed. "Doesn't erase what I did, what we did. He's my baby."

"And he turned out to be one, Maria. Look what you did. He's soft."

"He's sensitive," she corrected. "There's nothing wrong with that. What if he didn't get the message? You know how he gets when he's upset, he tears everything apart."

"He got it. You were smart for thinking that."

"Howard, what if he hates us? What if he never forgives us for doing this to him? What kind of parents would do something like this to their child?" She couldn't help the thoughts running through her mind.

"It was necessary and he'll understand that."

"He's a kid," she argued. "Where is he now?"

"At home. Pepper's with him."

Maria turned around in his embrace. "That's the first time you called her by her name."

"She's proven herself," Howard said.

"So I was..." She trailed off, waiting on him to finish her sentence.

"Right. There, you happy?"

"Of course. I can't wait to go home."

"Me, too," he said softly, smiling at her. "Just four more days here at SHIELD. Promise."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it's raining." She looked out the window. It came out of nowhere. The forecast had predicted it would, but towards the end of the week. "Looks like it's gonna turn into a storm."<p>

"Yep," he responded, taking a glance behind her shoulder as he drank another glass of scotch. "You want to spend the night?"

Pepper turned to face Tony when he had quietly asked that question. "Whatever you're thinking, it's not on the table tonight."

"Yeah, I figured. When will it be back on," he skeptically asked.

"When you prove to me that you meant everything you said tonight and last night."

Tony nodded and cast his gaze elsewhere.

She cleared her throat at the awkwardness that followed and changed the subject. "When'd you learn how to play the piano?"

"When I was two or something. Kept me out of trouble at Stark Industries." His mom had left the sheet music here from when she was practicing for the benefit; he was curious if he remembered the notes.

"I think you should play a song for me." Pepper walked up to the piano, exposing its keys.

"Not if you begged."

"But I said I loved you, remember?" With an affectionate smile, she watched as Tony approached.

He was amused with the tactic she had chosen. "For some reason, I didn't feel like you meant it."

"Oh, like you meant yours," Pepper shot back, following him down the hall.

He shrugged. "I'm too tired." He walked into one of the guest rooms and smiled behind her back.

"Nice try," she said, not falling for it. "It's 12:30. You never sleep this early. Why can't you play?"

Tony turned and met her gaze with an amused quirk. "Okay...let's say I did. What's in it for me?"

"A happy girlfriend?"

"Nah, that's not good enough."

She huffed. "Why do you have to be so mean?"

"Pep, I want to be reimbursed for my services."

"Now you sound like a prostitute."

"Like you could afford me," he quipped.

"Even if I could, what makes you think I'd pick you? At all? I'm pretty sure a lot of hot guys would want to spend time with me for free."

He had his back facing her and was in the drawer rummaging for something when he heard that. He quickly forgot what he was doing and twisted around, giving her a look. "You better be kidding." And, just like that, he was feeling territorial.

Pepper innocently shrugged. If he was going to play with fire, he was going to get burned.

"You just said that so I would give in, but I won't." He quickly recovered at the realization and smirked. Going into the bathroom, his smirked turned into a faint frown, his brows creasing. She probably didn't want to sleep in the same room as him given how things were between them. "Great." Now they'd have to talk about an uncomfortable subject that was bound to be brought up. If not by him, by her.

"You can have this room. I'll be outside."

Pepper turned to look at him. "No, it's fine. We can share the bed. As long as you keep your hands to yourself."

"Hey, I can control myself," he said, taking offense to that. "I'm not gonna do anything." Even though he'd like to. A month. That'd drive any teenage guy crazy. He kept his face as neutral as possible, hiding his excitement that he wouldn't be sleeping alone.

"Do you have another shirt I could sleep in?" It was difficult to in a dress.

"No, sorry."

"Oh," she realized.

"Just take off your dress."

"No," she refused.

He was surprised. "Why?"

"I don't want you to see me naked."

"Uh, hate to burst your bubble but-"

"That's different!"

He shook his head and went over to one side of the bed, looking at Pepper. "What do you want me to do then?"

She glanced apprehensively at the bed and then at him. "Don't look at me." Tony, on the other hand, was getting out of his own clothes, not embarrassed at all. After all, like he said, what was there to hide?

He laid down on the bed and could feel her eyes on him. She was making him work for it, but that didn't mean he couldn't get her flustered in the process.

_Get it together. _Her eyes ran over his body again and noticed his defined biceps, his shoulders, and abs that drew in more attention than she had previously remembered.

"Okay, I'm gonna face down." He laid on his stomach, head on the pillows.

"Don't peek," she said, her voice strict.

He waved off her comment with his hand. "Are you trying to suffocate me? Hurry up." He could only last on so many breaths. Once he heard rustling, he turned his head just slightly and snuck a peek. What she didn't know wouldn't kill her. Because of her dress, she had nothing on above her waist. Seeing her turn around, he quickly retracted his head back to his pillow and pretended to be none the wiser.

She was wearing nothing more than a pair of underwear. Her fingers grabbed the comforter as she got into bed beside him. "I'm finished."

His face lifted from the pillows and smiled.

"Oh my God, you looked." It was a blunt statement.

"What? I didn't!" His eyes betrayed him as he looked up her legs and towards her thighs until he hit comforter. He frowned and met her gaze. "Alright, but it was just like a second. You'd be upset if I hadn't."

Pepper hummed her response and slid next to Tony.

"Which I shouldn't had done." He shifted uncomfortably in bed, feeling an inconvenience starting to form. It was just that she had supermodel legs and he'd always been a fan of them.

She decided to have a little fun with him and snuggled up close to him, resting her head on the crook of his arm, her leg up over his as she let her nails lightly rake the expanse of his chest. She felt Tony gulp nervously as he made sure not to turn his head to look at her.

"Hey!" He grabbed her leg that was rubbing against him and glanced at her. "Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

She looked up to meet his gaze, hearing that his breathing had become slightly hoarse. "I thought I was helping."

He noticed a teasing smile on her lips. "You're cruel. You can't just cut off sex then do that to me. It's inhumane."

She didn't respond and merely dropped her head back on his chest, getting comfortable to the feeling of his hand massaging her waist.

"What do you want to do for Valentine's?"

"Your choice."

"But that's not fair," he whined, glancing at her. "How come it falls on us?"

"That's just how it goes." She propped herself up on her elbow and shifted under the comforter. "But, since this is your first time, dinner sounds good."

"We go to dinner all the time."

"I don't know then. Rent out an ice skating rink."

"Did you want that," he seriously asked.

"No."

"Aw." Tony frowned. It actually sounded like fun. He still had a couple weeks to decide. More than enough time. At least he hoped so.

"But ice skating does sound nice."

Tony made a mental note of that and smiled. "What did Platypus tell you?"

Pepper creased her brows. "What do you mean?"

"What did he tell you? That way I can properly thank him by putting itching powder down his pants."

"He didn't-"

"Pepper, you do know you're a bad liar, right? Don't make me tickle it out of you."

"He didn't!" She could feel him tightening his hold on her, not allowing her out of his embrace.

"Right," he sarcastically said. He watched amusedly as she squirmed. He positioned himself over her and trapped her between his arms. "Last chance."

"No, Tony, don't!" She started screaming and laughing uncontrollably as he did his best to get the information he needed.

* * *

><p><strong>There's a lot of patching work to do, but I'm glad the drama's over<strong>**. ****Biscottenera mentioned**** in the reviews Pepper might be 12% at fault and I HAD to put that in once I read it, so thanks for that!**


	38. The Stars Collide

"Sir, it's 7:45am," JARVIS announced into the occupied bedroom.

"Shut up," he mumbled in return, snuggling deeper against his pillow and tugging the comforter to pull it right over his head to block the sunlight that was coming in through the blinds.

"Need I remind you of the meeting you are expected to attend?"

"You suck." He slowly turned on his back, careful not to wake Pepper, who was on her side pressed up against him, her arm draped across his chest. He tried to stretch the best he could and sighed. Last night was the best sleep he had gotten since forever.

He'd been trying to do better, but it a process and the important thing was to recognize his faults and learn from it. He was coming around and he hoped she could understand it took time for him to get things right.

She looked peaceful and he didn't want to risk getting out of bed and waking her. It was a bad idea, but who cared? Her hair was mussed and her lips were parted as she breathed in and out. She looked adorable, so why disturb a face like hers? But he had no choice but to, he had to go into SI. He had a meeting at nine to take care of, then he'd surprise her by actually going to school. It was overdue.

"Can you stop watching me sleep?" One of her eyes cracked open and it completely took him by surprise.

"I was actually trying to figure out a way how to wake you up," he said, his hand sliding up and down the length of her back. Her body reacted instantly and arched under his touch.

"You don't hear my phone ringing in the bathroom?"

He heard it once Pepper mentioned it, puzzled as to why he hadn't until now.

She sat up, covering her chest with the blanket. "You're not gonna kiss me?"

Tony wasn't sure he could, but since she went out of her way to ask...might as well. He reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand and brought her on top of him, kissing her as he applied pressure to her tailbone and got her body closer to his. He could feel the swell of her breasts press against his torso and suddenly a state of arousal made itself evident. A small groan escaped the back of his throat.

"You are so easy to get riled up." She kissed him once more and went back to the position she had woke up in, enjoying the warmness that was his arm wrapped around her. She wanted sleep, but today was Tuesday. A school day.

"I got excited." He wasn't even embarrassed.

"Yeah, so did I...but I didn't get that excited."

"Hahaha." He faked laughed, hearing her giggles muffle into the comforter. "If you were a guy, you'd understand." He squirmed, unable to get comfortable. Twice in eight hours. He needed a cold shower.

"If I were you, I'd be kinda worried. Doesn't it hurt?"

He shrugged. "I'll take care of it in the shower. Which I should take now since it's already eight."

"What?! Eight?" She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Oh my God!" She panicked and pushed herself off of him. "School started 15 minutes ago!"

"Relax, it's history. You're not gonna learn anything that's not in the book," Tony told her, hoping it'd calm her down, although he was finding their situation amusing. Pepper was too much of a good girl.

"I had perfect attendance! Now it's ruined all because of you."

"You'll be there in time for second period." He hopped off the bed and picked up the clothes he'd thrown onto the floor last night. "Just give me another thirty to shower and I'll drive you to school after."

"Thirty?! Are you serious?"

"Hey, you can't look this good skipping steps."

Pepper rolled her eyes and watched as Tony disappeared into the bathroom. Leaning over the bed to grab her dress, she grinned.

He was just about finished in the bathroom when the scent of bacon invaded his senses. He walked out the door and into the living room hearing the clattering of pots being tossed into the sink and the sound of water following. She must had heard him because she turned to look at him with a smile. Shooting her the same smile, he went up to her and looked over her shoulder to confirm his suspicion that she'd taken time out to make breakfast.

"You made breakfast," he stated.

"Yes." She chuckled. "Sit down. I'm almost finished."

He looked at her curiously as she turned her back on him. _What'd I do to deserve this?_ "What about school?" Thirty minutes ago she was freaking out about missing class and now she was making bacon and eggs. Looking across the counter, he spotted a glass of smoothie. He reached over for it and took a sip out of it. It baffled him how Pepper could make all this.

"I decided to take a page out of your book and skip class for the day."

"What?" He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Well, only until third period," she modified as she turned around with a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast. "Here. It's sort of my way of apologizing."

He looked down at the delicious food before slowly making his way back up to meet her gaze. His face obviously told her she needed to elaborate.

"I've been kind of a bitch to you and it took you calling me out on it to realize it, so I'm sorry. You were right. I should be more aware of what you're going through; I'm gonna do my best to work on it."

He was not going to argue with that. "Sounds good." The first mouthful was delicious, as well as the ones following it. But then again he couldn't remember the last time he had a meal that didn't come in a box.

"Good?"

"Amazing," he groaned out in bliss as he took a big bite of the toast.

"Don't choke," she warned him, but her amusement was quite clear as she started on her own breakfast. "So what are you doing today," she hesitantly asked, some minutes later, breaking through the comfortable silence they'd surrounded themselves in.

"I have a meeting at nine to go to and another before lunch. Need to look over and sign some papers before the 5 o'clock deadline. Maybe hit the gym."

"You've been working out a lot."

"Yeah, I saw you staring," Tony teased, causing her cheeks to blush in embarrassment.

Pepper teased back. "Is that a problem?"

"No," he said, not missing a beat. "It's nice to know my efforts aren't going unnoticed."

Pepper watched a smug smile cross his lips and she shook her head.

"What do you have planned?" Before she could respond, Tony cut her off. "Wait, let me guess...homework, studying, dinner, maybe studying, bedtime."

"I'm not a nerd."

"Oh, that's right. I'm the nerd. You just act like one," he responded, giving Pepper a hard time.

"For your information, I actually have plans tonight."

He popped a fruit into his mouth and was surprised at hearing that from her. "Really? Tell me."

"I'm going to the movies."

He couldn't help but chuckle at how proud she was. "I thought you were actually going out to do something exciting."

"That's exciting!"

"Disneyland's exciting, Universal Studios and Magic Mountain, the beach...that kind of stuff. People go to the movies all the time. It's not that exciting."

"Just for that comment you don't get this." Pepper took the last strip of bacon and took a bite of it.

"You're assuming I wanted it."

"But?"

"But I didn't. I'm actually full."

She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not. She'd seen Tony eat and he could eat a lot more.

"So about this break," he said, giving her some time to adjust to the new topic. He met her eyes warily and sighed. "I know I said I wanted one, and I'm not taking it back, but we can still be around one another, right? I don't want to close you off completely and, I don't know, just us being like this kinda makes me forget about the stress and all I have to do at Stark Industries. I want to keep that, Pep."

She shot him a warm smile. "Of course. Whatever you want." She was his escape from it all and if he needed that, so be it. It wasn't an inconvenience and for all intents and purposes, it never would be.

He nodded, glad to have heard that. "I'm going to grab my stuff and then we'll go." He got up, stopped in front of her and locked his gaze with hers before dipping his sight towards her lips and then back up. His lips captured hers in a gentle and tender kiss before pressing an additional three quick ones.

Pepper pulled back with a smile on her face, and before she knew it he had taken the strip of bacon off her plate. She heard him quip 'yoink' as he turned his back on her to leave the kitchen. "Tony," she chastised. All she heard from him was high pitched giggling.

* * *

><p>Tony smiled as he spotted Pepper out at the quad during lunch. Today was Friday and he had told her he couldn't make it to class today, but something at Stark Industries came up and changed his plans.<p>

He held his finger up to his lips to quiet her friends that had seen him coming up. Closing the remaining distance between them, he delicately tapped Pepper's back and watched as her eyes light up when she turned around and realized who it had been.

"What are you doing here?! I thought you were in meetings all afternoon." Nonetheless, she couldn't hide her excitement.

"It got canceled," he explained, joining the girls.

"Three days in a row. That's a record," Scarlett pointed out. She and Tony have known each other since middle school and their relationship was always sarcastic at best.

"Yeah, you're really funny," he replied, giving her a quick glance before turning to Pepper. "Hey, baby."

"Baby?" She pulled away when Tony tried to kiss her cheek.

"Hey," Tony frowned.

"You never call me that, and if you do, it's because you did something I don't like."

"I didn't do anything! I'm hurt you'd think that."

Scarlett and Kristin watched their banter unfold, giving each other curious glances.

"There's the glue in my hair thing, the telling everyone we had sex thing. Should I keep going, Tony?"

"To be fair, you're the one who did the telling everyone we had sex thing. If you're gonna call me out on my bullshit, at least get it right."

She rolled her eyes and tried not to pay attention to him any longer, which worked for about eight seconds before he continuously started poking her side with his finger.

"Tony!" Pepper turned and grabbed his hand, setting it on his lap and silently telling him to keep his hand to himself.

"So are you ready for your parents' funeral?"

"Scarlett!" Pepper was the one who voiced it, but both her and Kristin turned to give Scarlett the 'what the hell is wrong with you' stare.

"No, it's fine." He turned to Scarlett and smirked. "Somebody's still sour about me not taking them to homecoming."

"Please," she scoffed.

"What? How come I didn't know about this," Pepper asked, glancing at her friend and then her boyfriend. "This is weird. What happened? Were you ever gonna tell me?"

"Relax, Pepper," Scarlett said. "Nothing happened. We've never kissed."

"Let's keep it that way," Tony quipped back.

Kristin shook her head. "They're always like this, it's nothing different."

"She's right," he told Pepper before stealing one of her chips. "Are you done eating? I want to show you something."

"Okay," she responded cautiously, getting up and grabbing hold of his hand before turning to her friends. "I guess I'll see you guys later."

"I don't understand how Pepper puts up with him," Scarlett said, the both of them watching them leave.

"Wait, you have to cover your eyes," Tony said, putting his hands over her eyes. "It'll ruin it if you don't."

"Tony!" Frustrated, she swatted his hands away. "I don't like this secretive stuff. Could you just tell me?"

"I swear it's nothing bad. Can you please just do it?" Tony put on his best puppy face and frowned at her.

"Alright," she exasperated. "But I can't see."

"Oh," he realized. Grabbing her shirt, he led the way.

"You get this means I trust you a lot, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed. It wasn't like he was purposely going to run her into a wall or pole. Though he had to admit, it was something he would do, but he couldn't. He was trying to fix all the shit he pulled on Pepper and they were trying to get back to how it once was and truth be told, he wanted that.

"Oh, I thought of a really awesome Valentine's Day idea during my meeting."

"Really?" Her curiosity peaked, then as soon as it came, it dropped. "Wait, that's not good!" Her hands dropped. "You're supposed to be paying attention! They're saying a lot of important things in there."

"Hands!" He grabbed them and put them on her face again. "And I did. Your dad was there and I had to be on my best behavior."

"Oh, so you were trying to win his approval."

"I don't need his approval." He cleared his throat. "But if you would, tell him to stop giving me the death glare. It creeps me out."

"I'm not going to tell him."

"It's because I called him Richard, isn't it? I panicked. He's got to know that."

"Well, maybe if you..." She lost her train of thought when she heard what she thought was a bark. "Where are we? Did I just hear a dog?" The barking sound became more prevalent. Then she heard an unmistakable noise that was an opening of a car door.

"I got a buddy," Tony proudly said.

Pepper took her hands off her eyes and watched as he took out a cage. She was unable to hide her excitement once she saw its face. "Oh my God, it's so cute!" She dropped to her knees and tried to pet the puppy the best she could. The dog didn't look more than two months old.

"Shetland Shepard," he replied when Pepper asked what kind of dog he had gotten. "He's six weeks old."

"Take him out."

"No. I just got him. I don't need him running away from me."

"Why not? He keeps barking." She watched as the puppy sat down, its eyesight wandering to Tony almost as if he was agreeing with Pepper. "See, he agrees with me. Don't keep him cooped up in there."

"I have to get Snickers to the vet. He might catch something. Besides, he just likes you because you're new. I'll prove it to you." Tony got on his knees himself and immediately turned Snickers' attention away from her.

"When you do, can I come over?"

"You know the entire time we've been going out, you never once voluntarily wanna come to my house."

"You're not this cute," she teased.

"That's mean."

Pepper chuckled. "I'm joking. Of course you're cuter than him. Snickers' just new cute. But you know what?" She stood up so she could be at eye level and closer to him. "The thought of you taking care of a puppy and being all responsible is really hot. Maybe while I visit, we could..." Her voice was suggestive and she didn't need to say more for him to catch her drift. Of course she wasn't referring to sex, but she could at least let him have second base.

"Wait, I thought it was off the table. A dog is what it takes," Tony seriously asked.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Not that! I was talking about making out."

"Oh," he frowned. "Third base, and we'll call it a deal."

"Two and a half," Pepper amended.

"Nice try, but that doesn't exist. You're the one trading favors. Take it or leave it."

"You know, I was being nice. I could have offered you nothing."

"But you didn't," Tony pointed out, a smile on his face. "Afraid you won't be able to keep your hands off me?"

"You should be asking yourself that," Pepper retorted.

"Everything that happened that night was your fault."

Well, she couldn't argue that. She hummed in response and her attention went back to Snickers as he stuck his paw out the square spaces of the gate that was separating him from the outside world.

"Relax, I was kidding," he told her. In all honesty, he just wanted to spend time with her. Whatever they did, it didn't matter. These last three days made him feel normal again and it was cause of her.

She softly smiled. She knew Tony was just giving her a hard time. They were slowly trying to pick up the pieces and she was grateful for that. He had his own list of defects and she had hers. The both of them had made a lot of progress in these past couple days and she could finally say things were looking up.

"You can come over Sunday. I'm gonna get him settled inside the house, let him get used to it. Plus, I gotta go to the dog store and-"

"It's pet store. Dog stores don't exist," she corrected.

"That's weird. You'd think someone would start one given how many dogs people have. They'd make billions."

"Maybe you're destined to become an entrepreneur."

"Maybe." Anything beat Stark Industries as far as he was concerned, but he was certain Howard would have his head if he chose a different profession. "See, Pep? That's why I need you. To correct me."

"Lucky me." She tried to sound sarcastic but the faint smile on her face betrayed her.

And just like that 50 minutes passed. They both heard the bells across the campus ring, signaling sixth period.

"I'll walk you to class."

"No, you don't have to," Pepper immediately said, not wanting him to go through the hassle.

"No, I want to." He put Snickers in the backseat of his car and made sure the heater was on so the puppy would not freeze to death. "I get you're independent and all, but let me do something for once."

Pepper nodded and reluctantly grabbed his hand as he held it out for her to grab. "So the funeral is tomorrow." She had said the words slowly and cautiously hoping he wouldn't be mad she brought it up. Scarlett had mentioned it, but he had brushed it off. This time there was no backing out of it.

"Wow, really," Tony responded sarcastically.

"Oh, you didn't know that," she responded in the same mocking manner, knowing full well Tony's sarcasm was only a deflection tactic.

He chuckled. "It's alright if you bring it up."

She felt relieved, but said nothing about it.

"But, yeah, it is. Service starts at eight and ends at twelve. I'm flying over to New York tonight. I would have asked you to be there, but it's going to be boring, and I don't want to put you through that."

"If you want me there, I will. Just tell me."

"Nah, I'm fine, Pepper. But thanks for wanting to do that for me."

"Anytime." A smile crossed her lips as she brought herself closer to him, leaning into his side until she was resting against his shoulder. "Didn't you say you had this really awesome Valentine's Day idea?"

Tony shook his head. "Not uh. You have to wait two more weeks. Just like all the other girls."

"At least tell me if I have to get dressed up. That doesn't ruin anything."

He thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, but bring an extra set of clothes. The comfy kind."

Pepper turned to look at him curiously. "What are you planning?" She really wanted in on it.

"Two weeks," he just repeated as they came to a stop in front of her AP Literature class. "It's not that long."

"Well, when you make it all secretive, it is."

He laughed when she tried to put on her best hurt face. "Pepper, you should know by now that putting on a pout does nothing to me. I just think it's cute and adorable. That's it."

"Fine." She gave up and settled with what she had. She hated surprises, because of its suspense, but she was teaching herself how to be patient. "I won't ruin our night. I'm actually really excited for it."

"Now you sound sarcastic."

"I'm not. I promise. I can't wait," she said with a smile.

"Better. You should put your hair down more often. It's nice." He lifted his hand to move a strand of hair that had covered her face because of the winter wind before resting it on her cheek, her twinkling blue eyes meeting his brown ones. He thought about everything they'd been through and how hard he had worked to get her to realize that he did have true feelings for her and how close he had gotten to tossing that aside all for a misunderstanding. She was right. Communication is important.

"You're not going to tell me you love me for real, right?"

One of his brows quirked up to his forehead when he heard that. "You think I was going to?" Tony could tell it was a serious question, but he was also aware of the fact that she was trying to play it off as casually as possible and that had worked for a moment.

"I don't know." Her cheeks blushed and she averted her stare for a quick second. "You have this look on your face and whenever you're near me you turn all sweet and affectionate. The signs are there."

"I give you a compliment and you think I'm about to say I love you. Should I go back to being a dick again?"

"You better not." she teased, her tone the same as his had been. "Because I'll hit you in the nuts if you do."

"You know that saying is true? Nice girls are dangerous." He wasn't sure if he had handled that properly. Was he supposed to tell her he did? He couldn't, not because he didn't, he actually hoped he was getting there, but because he wasn't sure what love was himself. It was a concept that was foreign to him.

"I'm not dangerous. I'm harmless. You can ask anyone." She waited until the coast was clear and hit him square in the chest.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Before another word escaped his lips, her AP Lit teacher came up. "She hit me."

"Nice to see you around, Stark." It was all Mr. Hunt said.

"Are you serious," Tony called out to the teacher's form as the adult disappeared into the classroom to get himself prepared for lecture. "What an asshole." He rolled his eyes when he heard her laughing. "I was telling the truth. Hunt didn't even think about it. It's because you have that innocent look down pat."

Pepper smiled. "I am innocent."

"Yeah, sure you are," he dismissed. "Have fun, alright?"

She nodded. It was time for her to head into class but these days neither one of them wanted to say goodbye to other, most likely because they had spent so much time apart, almost a month, that they were trying to get it back.

"Come here." She smiled as he pulled her into an embrace, her head tucked under his chin and her eyes closed. It was comforting and she was glad things had worked out between them when it seemed like chances were stacked against them.

She lifted her head up from his chest and turned up to look at him only to see him smiling down at her, and before she knew it, her lips were attached to his. The kiss was slow and tender at first and she was the one who chose to deepen it. His hands move from her waist to her hips and he slowly slipped them beneath her jacket. Several minutes passed before they broke apart, the two of them needing to catch their breath, their foreheads resting together the second the kiss ended.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm going on vacation for a couple weeks so it'll be awhile before I update. The next chapter is in progress and I can try to finish it, but I'll have to make it short. Would you guys like that or would you rather wait? Let me know below and I'll take it from there guys :)<strong>


	39. If I Survive Tonight

"Come on, buddy." It was well past eight o'clock when he finally came home. He had gotten Snickers all the necessary products a puppy needed and the little canine had come to grown attached to Tony.

He walked up the stairs and got out the dog bowl set to put some water and food into it. Truth was he was getting tired of living in this house himself. He never realized how big and empty it was. He had always wanted a dog but his mother would tell him that he would never be responsible enough to own one. The difference between now and then was that he had grown up, matured a little, and he was sure a dog was no problem. He needed a friend and this certain companion was more than willing to fill the spot when they laid eyes on each other from across the pavement down over at Pinestone Mall.

"There you go." He got down on his knees and stroke between Snickers' droopy ears. "And people think I have no manners." He watched as the pup attacked its food with fever. It was calm for its age. It was the opposite of him, though he did have his moments. He had a small white patch on his forehead that slimmed down the length his nose and rounded at the bottom. His mahogany sable and white rough coat marked an eerily resemblance to a certain candy bar and Tony couldn't pass up the opportunity to name him that.

He learned that these kind of dogs were intensely loyal and gentle and could range from outgoing and sedate. Snickers seemed to be leaning towards the latter for now, but given how he acted at the vet he could tell the pooch could go both directions.

It was late and he wanted to get some sleep in before his flight to New York at eleven tonight. He went upstairs and for a second his dog didn't notice he had left, but when Snickers found out, the puppy ran up the stairs the best he could and tripped.

"You'll get it." He picked up the dog and smiled when it laid its head on his shoulder and barked. Snickers' head turned from left and right to take in its new surroundings and he wanted to be let down to explore. He closed the door to his room to make sure the puppy wouldn't leave and went into the bathroom to take a shower after making sure there was adequate food and water for the pup, should he choose to eat or get thirsty at night. Fifteen minutes later he emerged from the bathroom in a blue crew neck and pajamas.

"What the hell!" He looked around and the dog had taken apart his entire game console. The controllers were unhooked to the system and had chew marks on them. He picked up his GTA case and next to it was the CD broken in half. He didn't even know how that could be. The dog didn't weigh a thing. He sighed and found Snickers laying on his bed, his head on the sheets and looking at him warily. He could've sworn it was as if the dog knew he screwed up and was trying to cutesy his way out of getting in trouble for ruining his things. No wonder why they hit it off from the start. They were the same.

He stared at the small pup. "That's uncalled for." The dog whimpered and it wasn't until he went up to the bed that he noticed the clothes he had worn last night was chewed up in pieces. He sighed, not blaming anyone other than himself. "I shouldn't have left you alone." He grabbed the clothes and tossed them off to the side and got into bed himself. T-minus three hours until he had to board a plane.

Some time in the night, the front door opened, Tony none the wiser, as he was far off in dreamland. He was so far out that he didn't even hear his own bedroom door open. Snickers had and was on high alert. His ears were still perked up from earlier and he saw the figure heading towards the bed. A bark escaped and it did little good. Being six months had its downside - one being an immature voice; the second being too tiny to defend. But there was something soothing about the figure that calmed him down and he watched.

The figure sat down on the edge of the bed near his head and smiled. Words could not express how she felt at this moment so she let her tears explain. She hesitated briefly and her hands were shaking. She reached out and lightly sat her hand on her son's shoulder as she fought the urge to not wake him up. All she wanted was to check if he was okay, but now that she had, she couldn't leave. "Tony?"

The sound of her voice had shifted him slightly, but he went back to sleep. He had been sleeping on his stomach, arms laid across the bed and had now turned to his side where she could see his face. He was different. Looked different. She retracted her hand and combed it through his brown locks like she did when he had nightmares as a child. It would always soothe him right back to sleep in a minute.

He groaned at the touch and shook his head. His body was asleep but his mind wasn't. He heard a voice, a familiar one, call his name. His eyes slowly open and his bedroom was pitch black. He would had attacked or screamed, but this silhouette, he knew it. "Mom?" He thought this was a dream, but reality was catching up to him. The moon shined through the window at just the right angle and his eyes cleared as the fog of sleep left.

Maria nodded. Hearing her son call her that made her heart warm up.

Then it hit Tony. She was real.

"Hi, baby." Her voice cracked and her vision was overcome with tears.

Tony flung towards her and wrapped his arms around her middle, his head pressed against her chest, and as involuntary as it had been for her, his tears poured out just the same. He couldn't believe this.

She knew all the words he was trying to convey was in that hug alone and she was elated with joy. "I missed you so much," she said the best she could, her hand coming up to her eyes to wipe the tears before they drop to his head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Mom's never going to leave you again, alright? I promise. I'm so sorry."

_"Breaking news: Howard and Maria Stark, who were tragically killed in a car accident over two months ago, are in fact alive and kicking. In a shocking joint statement released by the Starks just minutes after their arrival at the Los Angeles airport, they state no questions are to be asked, as everything will be addressed in a press conference set to be taken place on the 3rd of February. At this time, they ask for privacy, their son's, and allow their family to readjust. What you're witnessing is footage of the Starks heading towards an unmarked vehicle on the tarmac, that has been said to have been there since two last night. We see how heavily guarded the area is and sources confirm those are indeed government agents. We still have a lot of unanswered questions about that gruesome December night and it's safe to assume everyone is waiting hand and foot even more now than they were before for answers. This is Gloria Mendez signing off from Channel 4 News, where we bring you the stories first."_

"Wow. I wouldn't had believe it if I hadn't heard it myself." Victoria stirred her coffee and turned to her husband.

"It's going to be the talk of the office."

"Sure will. Have a good time at work." She smiled when Richard leaned in for a kiss before heading out the door.

Pepper, on the other hand, had just woken up. It was a little early for the weekend but she had service down at the youth soccer league and was set to work the concessions at ten 'til two. She got out of bed and grabbed her phone in passing to the bathroom. She was still groggily and usually skipped her texts until after she showered, but the laundry list of texts from her best friends were hard to ignore.

"Holy shit." She set her phone down in total shock. _Crap. _Tony was such a bad influence. Before him, she rarely cursed. Did he know about this? She had no reason to believe he didn't. She wanted to call and was about to when she stopped herself_. _She shouldn't intrude. She could wait. This was not about her. This was about him and his parents. Her heart filled with happiness for Tony. This was amazing.

_"...a lot of unanswered questions about that gruesome December night and it's safe to assume everyone is waiting hand and foot even more now than they were before for answers. This is Gloria Mendez signing off-"_

Howard turned his head to Maria. "I was watching to that!"

"I don't understand why you want to," Maria told him, getting off the island stool in the kitchen.

"I don't understand why you're up my ass when your son is more deserving of it. Look at the living room! It's trashed! That is millions worth of stuff!"

"Which can all be replaced!"

She had a point. He was just trying to get her to stop nagging him. "Please? The stocks are up."

Maria smiled and turned on the appliance without another word. She had left Tony's room early this morning and went to her own bedroom. As much as she did not want to go, she had to, her back hurt. She made her way up the stairs and sighed. Her husband had been right about one thing. The living room was a mess, but it gave her an excuse to redo the room. Maybe the entire house. She smiled as soon as she saw the little dog upstairs. She couldn't believe her son had gotten a pet when she specifically told him not to. Though she couldn't argue much, the pup was all kinds of adorable. "Come on."

Howard brought his breakfast over to him and smiled. Maria was an amazing cook and she didn't do it enough, at least for him. She used to when they were dating and during their first years of marriage but it died down from there. He had more on his shoulders than ever, but she was right. As always. He was afraid. Afraid of what he would say, or rather fail to say. This was hard. Maria and their son had always had this unspoken bond and what he had with him defined what you would call a strained relationship. They've made tremendous progress, but what if this little stunt put them back to the start?

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs and he turned to glance behind his shoulder. Their eyes locked and tension filled the air. Neither wanted to be the first to break, first to speak.

But he was the father, he needed to step up. "Your mom made you pancakes."

_Really? That's all you have to say? _Although what he got from his father was more than he expected, which was nothing because he expected him to be at Stark Industries putting out fires. He sat down at the kitchen table and watched the news as he ate. It wasn't surprising just how much their stocks rose in the last couple hours. "Where did mom-"

"She's getting her affairs in order. Your mother thinks her time could be better spent elsewhere."

"Her charities? She loves doing that."

"She doesn't love it as much as you."

That shut him up immediately. He was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want his mom to give up something she loved for him. He appreciated the sentiment but it wasn't necessary. "I'll go up and-"

"Sit your ass down," Howard interrupted. "Park it."

"You're gonna stop me from seeing her," he asked.

"Your mother made a decision and you're going to let her have it," his father said, looking directly into his son's eyes, his voice the same tone he used for business. Cold, monotonous. He dared his son to talk back or take a step and he didn't. He watched as he sat back down. "She feels awful about everything and she's trying to make it up to you. Stop being selfish. Your mom wants this. Let her have it."

"I'm not a child."

"Well, you sure cried like one last night."

"You know what? Fuck you." He stood on his feet, seething. "I hate you. I hate what you did and I will never forgive you for it." His dad was actually going to be dead for real if he didn't leave this second.

He tried to channel his frustrations out at soccer practice, but it wasn't enough. He drove down the PCH over to Pepper's house in record time and knocked urgently on the door until somebody answered.

"What the hell?!" Pepper had answered the door and she was a little more than ticked off. Though that was quickly forgotten when she gave him an once over and stared at him with concern.

"Are you by yourself?"

She nodded her head.

"Good." Tony took her hand and pulled her into the house and pushed her against the wall and she yelped at the difference in temperature.

Her words were muffled with a hard kiss and she could feel her heart beating increasingly faster from his sudden action, but she let out a deep moan and kindly responded by parting her lips as he teased her with his tongue. Passion overtook them and they were kissing at such an intense level that when they broke apart, both were panting.

Pepper pushed him back just as he leant in. "What is this about?"

"I just need to get away from him."

Her curiosity shot up. "Him? Who?"

"Who do you think?" He didn't give her time to respond. As soon as he had asked, his mouth moved to her neck and began kissing her roughly, his teeth scraping her skin before soothing it over with the warmth that was his tongue.

"Tony," she breathed against his ear.

"Please?" He pulled back and he stared at her with the hope that she would understand.

She felt him rest his forehead on hers, his fingers grasping her shirt. This wasn't some act. She could hear it in his voice how much he needed her even if he hadn't said the words. "Alright, hold on." She grabbed the hand that had traveled to the strings of her pants. "You're gonna tell me what this is about later, right?" That was the one condition that needed to be met before they proceeded any further.

She motioned for him to follow her upstairs to her bedroom when he wordlessly nodded.

He stood in place a second longer and closed his eyes in relief. Her consent meant everything to him. There was so much pent up anger inside of him that if he didn't get rid of it...well, knowing him, he'd do something he couldn't take back.

He ran up to catch up to Pepper and she screamed when his arms wrapped around her waist. "Tony, stop it! You know that tickles!" Her laughter filled the otherwise silent atmosphere and he bent to kiss her on her shoulder. It was his way of lightening the mood a bit. His hands slipped beneath the cotton material of her shirt and his fingers grazed her skin. Somewhere in the middle of her giggling fit, she found the opportunity to step on his foot. He let go and yelped in pain, giving her time to run into her room.

She tried to keep the door closed as Tony tried to open it, but since he was bigger and stronger, he won within seconds. "No, Tony! Don't!" She screamed when he tackled her onto the bed. Good thing for her he was more interested in something else this very moment.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay, I'm finally back! So are Tony's parents!<strong>

**First off, loana, thanks for your review! It is always nice to hear from new people and confirm the fact this LONG story is still interesting to you readers! Not many of you responded last chapter, so I decided to hold it off until I came back and good news is that I have the next chapter almost done and it should be finished in a week's time! Do leave a comment! I'll definitely be more inclined to post sooner rather than later :)**


	40. Everybody Breaks

"That feels so good," he groaned out as Pepper continued to grind against him. He closed his eyes once again and put his hands atop her thighs, letting her take control for a moment before he wrapped his arm around her waist and spun them around, putting her down onto the mattress. She yelped at the sudden change and giggled soon after when she felt his mouth kiss the ticklish spot of her ears.

"Tony!" She felt his hand graze the side of her breast before sliding further to the right and southward. She tried to stop him, but her neurons betrayed her. She was still sensitive from earlier and a tiny moan escaped her lips at his soft touch.

"Why? You look like you're enjoying it." He smirked as their eyes met and he watched as Pepper forced herself to stay adamant on her decision.

"I told you we can't. There isn't enough time."

"I'll be fast," he said as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Oh, you mean fast like it'll only be ten minutes or fast like how you were the first time we did it?"

"Hey!" He sat up and stared at her pointedly. "You promised me you were never gonna bring that up again!" Tony could tell by the tone of her voice it was all just playful teasing and he had fallen for it.

"I know." She smiled as an adorable pout crossed his lips. "I was just kidding." To be fair, he had warned her beforehand, and he did make it up to her right after and she would never forget how he had made her feel that night.

After having cracked so many jokes at her expense, he was due to be the victim. "Alright, back to what we were doing." He towered over her and leaned down. She propped herself up on her elbow and met him halfway. Their kisses were slow and they varied in length and pressure as time passed. He leaned his body forward and she wrapped both her arms around his neck to bring him down on to the bed. His hand gently grazed the inner portions of her thigh. It was an erogenous zone of hers that never seemed to fail to get her in the mood and it was a lovely bit of information he kept tucked away.

Pepper kissed him once more before putting a hand to his chest and pushing him back. "We can't."

"One more." He snuck another one in and couldn't help but smile as he unconsciously tightened his arms around her when she moved in to snuggle up against his side, her leg draped over his torso as she buried herself into his chest. He was grateful this happened, grateful she still trusted him to allow this to happen. Sex brought out an unspoken bond, a sort of closeness kissing and cuddling lacked.

She shook her head, hiding her smile. Tony was such a different person after sex; it reminded her of the time she found him nearly passed out outside her house. "I like when you're like this. It's cute."

He feigned innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about." His eyes closed and he turned to face her as one of her hands moved up to toy with the back of his hair at the nape of his neck. "Mmm, that feels good," Tony said once again as her fingers traced up and down his hairline.

Pepper smiled and raked down the side of his neck. "You really do like that," she observed.

"I love it," he corrected. "Don't stop." He brought her hand back up to his hair and smiled, his eyes beaming with happiness. He captured her lips again, but as soon as he had, the kiss was over. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his skin and her body being pulled away from him. "No," he whined, not letting her go. "Later," he simply added.

"You need to tell me what happened." She didn't say it like a demand, but like a reminder.

"Oh, right." He frowned. Leave it to Pepper to kill the mood. He watched as she propped herself up on her elbows in the small space between his body and his arms. "I went downstairs this morning and my dad was there and I thought I was going to be glad to see him, but I don't know, when I did, I felt nothing but rage." He averted his gaze and replayed the event in his head. "I said I hated him and would never forgive him for what he did. Part of me knows I shouldn't had done that and the more I think about it, the more I think he purposely provoked me into saying all of that stuff so I would tell him off. Maybe that way he feels less shit about it."

"You probably don't want to hear this, but you two are exactly alike. You'd both rather someone get mad at you than risk telling that person what you're thinking cause for some reason it's a crime to."

"I guess," he muttered.

She could see his mood changing and there was only one thing she could think of to make him feel better. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his to turn his attention back on them. Her little kiss got Tony to instantly respond and he eagerly consumed her lips. Despite her insistence to get out of bed, she allowed him into her mouth and felt his tongue clash with hers. Her hand moved up his arm and traveled to the back of his hair. Parting, he opened his eyes and set his nose against hers, their foreheads touching.

"Come on, let's get up."

"But I'm comfy. There's also a nice view." Tony smirked as Pepper got out of bed, admiring her backside and frontside as she turned around. How she could get out of bed so easily was a mystery to him.

"Fine, then stay there."

His ears perked up. She had said that as if she was daring him to, which made him all the more suspicious.

"I promise we'll stay in bed one day."

"And we'll watch movies and eat tons of junk food?"

She laughed after a momentary pause. He was such a kid sometimes. "Yes."

He grinned, excited.

"But right now you need to get dressed, Tony, and be on your best behavior."

"Alright." He let out a long dejected sigh before getting out of bed. He quickly put on his clothes and fixed his hair before going downstairs to wait for Pepper. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels until something caught his attention. He was a bit hungry, but he thought it'd be best to wait. Once the commercials aired, he frowned. He was just about to call her when the front door knob twisted and turned.

"Pepper?" Richard dropped his keys in a bowl and glanced around. "We're going out for dinner tonight." He'd just gotten back from work and was taking off his shoes. He strolled into the living room and prepared himself for the conversation about to come. It wasn't that he didn't like Tony, because he did. Deep down, the kid was good. He just needed to mature a bit. Besides with him, he didn't have to worry about his daughter's future. Of course he wanted her to go to college, get a degree, find a job she liked, but Tony gave her security. Surname aside, the boy could go places - with or without Stark Industries.

"Tony," he greeted.

"Hi, Mr. Potts." He stood up and greeted him. Honestly, when Pepper told him to be on his best behavior, this was not what he expected.

"Oh, now it's Mr. Potts?"

He nervously looked down at his shoes for a second. "Look, I'm sorry. Really."

"Water under the bridge," Richard replied. "I'm not going to meddle, it is not my business, but there is one thing I need to be clear about. Do not get my daughter pregnant. I will kill you in your sleep."

He nearly choked on his own spit and nodded despite the sheer panic coursing through his veins. The thought never even once crossed his mind to use protection the three times they've had sex.

"Dad," Pepper called out as she walked down the stairs.

"Hey, I was just asking your boyfriend here if he wanted to go out to dinner with us."

"I can't," Tony spoke up. "I need to go home. Do stuff."

Pepper glanced over at him curiously and told her dad she'd be in the car waiting for him as he went upstairs to change. The second they made it out the house she asked, "Okay, what just happened?"

Anyone could tell he was agitated. "We didn't...look, I don't doubt our babies will be adorable, but they should be planned and I...we didn't or ever-" He was stammering and he couldn't believe the smile on her face as she listened to him ramble.

"Our babies," she asked.

"Pepper, seriously." His heart was still on the floor. He was not in the mood for games.

"Tony, calm down," she softly said. "You really think I'd be that careless? I've been on the pill since middle school."

"Really," he asked.

Pepper nodded and elaborated. "For my period. It's 99% effective."

"You can still get pregnant!"

"Why are you freaking out?"

"Because-" He couldn't finish the sentence. Why was he freaking out? One percent was close to nonexistent. Besides, condoms weren't 100% effective either, and given the amount of girls he has been with, they worked.

"We're fine," she said, reaching out to grab his hand in an attempt to calm him down. "I mean, if you want to use extra protection, I'm alright with that, Tony."

"Sorry," he mumbled, a bashful look on his face.

"No problem." She beamed a smile back at him and pushed herself up off the ground to give him a kiss. "Do you still want to go with us to dinner? It'll be fun."

"Nah, I'll do the dinner with your parents thing another night. I got too much on my mind and I don't need people at the restaurant staring at me. It'll ruin it."

"That's true." He had a point. The press was already inching for an interview and he was fair game to the media.

"I'll see you at school." He turned to open his car door and turned back to tell her goodbye. He was about to lean in and kiss her when he saw her dad walk out. She noticed his predicament and smiled.

Despite the circumstances, he proceeded and captured her lips in an innocent kiss. As soon as they pulled apart, he planted one on her cheek and told her goodnight before reversing out into the street.

* * *

><p>"Good boy." He was teaching Snickers how to play fetch and after half an hour the puppy was finally getting the hang of it. He was in his room with his door closed and did not want to be bothered.<p>

There was a soft knock on the door and he could guess who it was.

"I cooked dinner." Maria made her way inside her son's room and sat down next to him on his bed, extending the plate of food out to him. "Like it or not, this is going down your throat."

He looked at the plate of pasta in her hands and couldn't pass it up. He silently took it from her and began eating.

"You remember my rule about pets?"

Tony nodded to acknowledge the fact he did, but other than that, remained quiet.

"You keep it only if you look after it. That means picking up after him, making sure he gets fed and walked, taking him to the vet, all that stuff. You're responsible for him. Not the staff."

"Yeah," he mumbled, his mouth full.

Maria smiled despite the mood in the room. "But I like him, he's adorable." She was trying to get him to talk to her, but it wasn't working. She took a deep breath and watched as Tony ate. "Honey, just yell at me. I can't stand the silence."

He could feel his breathing start to become heavy. He couldn't even if he wanted. He sat his plate down and stared at the pattern on his comforter. The tension was increasing, but it was fine, she would patiently wait until he was ready to talk about what had happened.

"I don't want you to give up your charities for me," Tony finally said, his voice just above a whisper as if telling her this would lead to repercussions. As much as he'd like it to happen, he couldn't let her. She'd be miserable spending the rest of her life at home.

"I'm not giving them up completely, just scaling it down a bit." Being at SHIELD opened her eyes. She had ample time to reflect on her life. Decisions. Regrets. She was grateful second chances existed. "I'll still be involved in everything Stark Industries does, just not so much, okay?"

"But you'll be bored."

Maria smiled sadly and her heart almost broke when he finally lifted his head up to look at her. It was amazing how considerate he was giving how inconsiderate Howard and her had been. "Don't worry, I'll be alright. I'm looking forward to it already. Being home, making dinner. Do you remember when I used to be in the bleachers cheering you on at your games when you were little? I miss that. A lot. You have always been my number one priority and it's about time I did something to prove it."

"I guess," Tony replied quietly, giving his dog more attention than their conversation. It sounded good on paper, but he learned long ago to not to get his hopes up over things like this.

"Mom promises you." And she would do everything she could to hold up to it. She cleared her throat, a signal for her husband to enter the room. "And your dad has something to say."

"I don't want to talk to him," he said, just as Howard came in. He was sure his father heard him, but he didn't care in the slightest.

"Then listen," Maria counterpointed. She shot her husband a look as she got up to leave the two of them alone. She had finished her part, it was time for him to live up to his.

Howard cleared his throat and looked around the room. So much had changed since he last stepped foot in this room. He walked over and picked up the black model train sitting on top his son's dresser. He remembered building it with him. He remembered because an exact replica of it sat on his desk at the office, the only difference was that his had a fully functional engine inside it. Tony crept into his workshop one morning and had came out hours later with a flawless motor. He was incredibly proud and got it encased in a glass box. Once in awhile he'd mention it to his business partners, brag about how brilliant his son was.

Tony stared as Howard stared at the model train. He wasn't sure why he was so fascinated with it. It was just a toy.

"I could list a million reasons to excuse what we did, and they'd all make perfect sense, but the truth is they're just excuses," Howard began, his back facing him. He wasn't expecting him to say a word and he hadn't. He was in control of his voice, but his posture spoke defeat as he turned around to look at his son. "I might not be the greatest person or greatest father, but I would do anything for you. It has always been like that and it will always be like that. You and your mom might not always be on my mind, but you're what's important. I wouldn't be where I am today without your mother and if not for you, my desire to be a somewhat decent person wouldn't exist. You just refuse to see it. I've done a lot of great things since you came into this world, things I wouldn't think twice about doing if it weren't for you." It was true. There was an entire hospital wing in Manhattan he funded and any child born with an undiagnosed pre-existing condition was given free treatment the rest of their lives. He donated to education, technological advancement. That is millions worth of dollars he'll never get to see, but it was fine because it was going to places well deserved. Places whose goals is to brighten the future more than he could.

"I don't believe you." It wasn't that Tony didn't believe Howard didn't do those things, it was that he used him as his excuse for it, which was ridiculous. "Because your words don't mean a thing to me." At some point he realized enough was enough and the only possible step to take is stop. Walk away. He wasn't giving up, wasn't saying he shouldn't keep trying, he was saying a line had to be drawn. If he was to truly have a relationship with his father, he would get it in due time, but if he wasn't it didn't matter how hard he tried because it wasn't meant to be.

"What do you want from me," Howard inquired, his reserve breaking, his frustration building.

"Nothing. You can leave now."

"You can't ignore me forever."

"Yeah," he dared. "Just wait."

"We did what was necessary."

"And that makes everything alright, right? I get that you had no choice, but you had the choice of opening your mouth and telling me what was going on and you chose not to. You and mom sat there at the benefit and you lied to my face and told me the both of you would be back tomorrow morning and that's what pisses me off. And here you are expecting me to pretend like it's just some horrible dream. Do you understand what you put me through? You let me think you died, and you dump Stark Industries on me, which doesn't even make sense. Obie-"

"Hey," he snapped, the loudness of his voice scaring him stiff. "We will not bring up that name again. Understand?"

"He did it, didn't he?" He had his suspicions.

The cold hard stare Howard gave him said all that was needed.

It was a good thing he never liked the man.

"He's a piranha and couldn't stand for second best."

"He never made it to the Mid. East, did he?"

"That's your opinion." That was enough for him to assume Obadiah was dead.

"And you let him around me."

"Please, the guy wouldn't hurt a hair on head. You were fine."

"I'm still not forgiving you," he responded, holding his ground.

"I don't expect you to," Howard said, putting the model train back on the dresser and taking a step forward. "Look, you're right. What we did was inexcusable, but I didn't give you anything you couldn't handle. Someone tells you 'you can't do something' and you'll work a thousand times harder to prove them wrong. That's the kind of person you are and it's a quality a lot of people want but don't have in their pocket. You exceeded my expectations, Tony, and I'm proud that you did. So as an early birthday gift, I hereby dismiss you from all Stark Industries duties. Be a teenager. Have fun while it lasts."

Suddenly he became speechless.

"Well, I still need you to come in and show me who I need to hand resignation letters to."

"Can I fire them?"

Howard chuckled a little. "I don't see why not." He was telling the truth when he said Tony exceeded his expectations. He expected Stark Industries to take a hit and people to question his son's abilities to handle the company, but this little test allowed him to figure out just how far people were willing to go to establish dominance and their own ulterior motives. Those were the people that had to be rid of immediately and there was no reason Tony couldn't do that.

"Yes," he said excitedly.

"Don't get too excited. I still have something to tell you. Stane has done some irreversible damage to SI headquarters and it needs to be dealt with immediately."

"Okay...what does that have to do with anything," he inquired.

"Your mom and I have decided that we're going to move to New York once school is over."

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, more trouble, but that's down the road :)<strong>

**I totally meant to post this, but wasn't too satisfied with the latter portion of this chapter so I decided to work on it a bit more! Sorry for the wait (I didn't forget DestinyRDJ)! In the meantime,**** gear up for Valentine's Day! Also, I will be incredibly busy these next few months so chapters will be infrequent. As always, I would love reviews!  
><strong>


	41. Catching All Red Lights

Tony crouched down to Whitney's level in front of the gate to the plane she was about to board. "Remember to call me when you get there, alright? Don't leave me hanging."

"I remember!"

"Good," he smiled. "And don't share my number with strangers."

The five year old nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm gonna miss you," Tony mumbled. He felt her squeeze harder as he took a quick glance at Pepper, who was standing next to him.

"I'm gonna miss you more!"

"Not possible," he told the girl as they broke.

Whitney crossed her arms and pouted, in the process dropping one of her many stuffed animals.

"Hey, that's mean. You dropped Tony the Tiger." He picked up the plush to hand back to her. "He's hurt."

"He's a boy, he's fine," she told him.

Tony hummed in response and watched as Whitney's social worker approached. It was time for her to go. "If you don't like it there, tell me immediately. Don't be scared to tell me you wanna come back."

"I promise." She gave him one last hug and turned to Pepper, telling her goodbye, too.

Pepper waved back to the little girl as she came closer to Tony, and in the process of that, she swore she heard him sniff. No matter how hard he was trying to hide it, she knew he was getting emotional.

"You're sad Whitney's moving, aren't you," she asked. It was close to noon and they were walking down the streets of LA towards a restaurant for brunch.

He led them to the right. "What makes you think that?"

She huffed under her breath as she tried to catch up to him. When Tony told her he wanted to walk the rest of the way, she thought it'd be side by side, together, not her ten steps behind. "I don't know, I just think she means a lot to you."

"I guess," Tony simply replied, the simplicity of his statement frustrating Pepper a little. He must had caught on because he continued talking. "She came up to me at the mall and I picked her up to bring her back, but she wouldn't let go of my shirt and I got angry with her so I sorta pried her hands off me."

Pepper got a feeling of what happened next. "She cried."

"More like screamed off the top of her lungs, but, yeah, sure, that's what she did."

"So Whitney does mean a lot to you." Pepper figured so.

He came to a sudden stop. "Is that jealously in the air?"

She slapped his arm and tried to walk forward.

He didn't let her. "Hold up, you don't smell it?"

"Come on," Pepper urged, pulling him forward the best she could before refocusing her eyes to the road. "You're the one who said she's up here." She held her free hand that wasn't holding his in the air.

"I was kidding! And you know that." He smiled at her just to make sure she was indeed joking. "But...yeah," he sighed. He didn't like it, but life was life. What could he do? It was out of his control.

She wished he could had elaborated a bit more. It seemed as though he and Whitney had a close relationship and she was curious as to why that is. She had assumptions, but she'd rather have facts. He grew up feeling alone, like it was him against the world, and that must be how kids who'd been put up for adoption felt as well. She couldn't even begin to comprehend what that felt like, but she wanted to be informed, be educated with that part of his life.

"We're here." He snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see he had taken her to an Italian restaurant.

"I hope this is alright," spoke the hostess, gesturing to the table. "Given your last minute reservation, it was all we had. If you're willing to wait fifteen minutes, Mr. Stark, we can offer you a better view."

"No, it's fine." It wasn't that bad of a spot and it wasn't particularly cold today. He put his hand on Pepper's back and gently nudged her forward.

"I'm glad it worked out. Brunch is still in service, but if you would like to order for lunch, that's fine. Have a nice meal."

"Whatcha getting," he asked.

"I don't know yet."

He sighed. They'd just spent a period of silence going over the menu and he had always had this problem with Pepper whenever they ate out. She could never decide what to get.

Pepper smiled when his lips formed a tiny pout. "Besides, it's only been a minute."

"Which is more than enough time to decide," he argued.

She merely shrugged and proceeded to leave him alone in his bubble of boredom. Tony frowned the left corner of his lips and reached for a piece of bread. He had spent half the day on an empty stomach.

"So anything new?"

"No, why would you ask that," Tony asked, a little too quickly and suspiciously. The waiter had just left with their order and he was in the midst of finishing another piece of bread.

"Um," Pepper spoke, taken aback by his response. She furrowed her brows and looked at him. "It's just that I didn't hear from you all weekend."

"Oh."

"Why did you sound so guilty?"

"Nothing." He averted his gaze to the table cloth.

"Tony?" She called his name suspiciously, wanting an explanation.

"Nothing," he exclaimed. "This bread is amazing."

"Tony," Pepper repeated, this time stern.

"I just thought you were insinuating something."

"Alright," she replied hesitantly, her eyes still on him. He wasn't hiding anything from her, was he? He'd been so much more open to her recently that'd it be upsetting just to see him close off again. She noticed Tony had been acting a little different. It wasn't anything serious, just things from time to time where she noticed how certain subjects would shut him down; some subjects triggering angst. She would have guessed in the past it was him retreating because of personal reasons, but she knew this time it was more like he was hiding something specific. Something he wasn't ready to tell her or was afraid to. She would wait to see which it was.

Brunch flew by, though it was relatively quieter than usual. Tony was relatively quieter than usual. Ever since his parents came back, he'd been like that. Not that she minded the quietness, it was always something rare from him.

"Is something wrong," Pepper asked as the two of them walked up to her door.

He shifted his stance so he was facing her. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"Tony, I have asked once."

"Yeah, but you've been silently asking me for like days. I feel you staring, Pep." Being blunt was the best way to throw someone off guard, and today that someone happened to be his girlfriend. He didn't want to discuss what'd been on his mind. Why did they need to move anyway? His dad was in New York most of the year and it didn't make sense for him to uproot his life for mistakes his father made. A part of him was glad of the move because it meant being closer to his parents, but if it meant leaving Pepper, well, it wasn't worth it.

Plus he was afraid of what would happen. It occurred to him if a relationship of two years could be so easily torn apart with distance in a span of two months, the same could happen to theirs, and quicker too. Not that he didn't trust her, but let's face it, she could do better than him.

"Tony?" She grabbed his arm and shook it to get his attention.

He snapped out of his thoughts. "What?"

"See? You're doing it again." Pepper sighed and placed her hand on her side and stared at him. "You've been spacing out a lot lately."

"It's nothing," Tony replied.

"It's always nothing; I'm beginning to not believe you," she retorted.

"Just thinking about stuff."

"Like?"

Tony exasperated. "Really?"

"I don't think it's too much to ask. I mean, something's clearly bothering you."

"It's nothing," he responded, more agitation in his voice.

"Fine."

"Fine."

Pepper sighed. She did not want to leave things like this. Not with Valentine's Day being tomorrow. "Look, Tony, I'm not trying to be difficult. It's just that I've noticed you're acting a bit distant lately and I don't know if it's something I did or said, but if it's not-"

"I just need time to sort out some crap."

"And can you tell me what kind of crap?"

"Just things with my parents. That's all."

"You're stressed?"

"It's just, I don't know. I feel kinda lost."

"You want to talk about it," Pepper softly asked.

"It's nothing I can't figure out," he said.

"Yeah, but maybe talking about it will help out."

Tony smiled at her. "I'll be okay."

"Sure." There was no use in pushing further. She learned her lesson weeks ago. Don't force something out of him. "Please don't be late."

"Pep, I promised you I wouldn't."

"So we'll see if you hold on to it."

"Then let's make a wager. Loser has to do whatever the winner chooses."

"I don't like this."

"Pepper's a chicken," he taunted.

"Okay, fine." She was never one to back out of a challenge, especially if Tony was involved.

"So what will happen if I'm late?"

"Hmm, if you're late, you're going to have to..." She sat down on the porch swing and thought about it. He quirked his brow in amusement and stared at her as she weighed out her ideas. "If you're late, even a second, I get to wax both your legs, and you have to show them off during school."

"That's all?" His voice was void of fear.

"From your thighs down to the ankles."

"I'm not afraid."

"Good, because I don't care if you are."

Fine, he was a little scared. What he did know about waxing was that it hurt like hell and it was all the more reason to prove Pepper wrong. "And if I'm on time, I get to dye your hair whatever I choose."

"Deal." She was so confident she was going to win that she wasn't fazed.

* * *

><p>"I mean, he does have a lot going on. I don't think you should be so hard on him. It's probably nothing."<p>

Pepper glanced up from where she sat on her desk and put down her curling iron. "You don't know him." She looked at the mirror and loosened up her curls and sighed before focusing her attention back to the laptop. It was 6:30 and she had 30 minutes left. "Trust me, something's different. He gets worked up whenever I ask if something's wrong. What do you think? Should I tie it up or keep it down?"

Morgan watched as her best friend demonstrated the two options. "Up. And wear it high. Loosen up the curls until they're soft waves. Maybe Tony hooked up with some chick-" She stopped herself before she finished. "Yeah, I don't see that happening. Say whatever you want about him being a bad boyfriend, but at least he won't cheat. You can't say that for about 80% of the guys in relationships. You're lucky. Maybe it's what you mentioned last time," she teased, giving Pepper's halfway finished hair her seal of approval.

"He's not about to tell me he loves me. Believe me with that one."

"You're sweating over the small things. Look, test this out. Don't put your seatbelt on and see if he mentions it. If he does, it's one of those things that sort of means I love you without actually saying it. I read about it in _Seventeen_. It's got couples quotes to back it up."

"Sure." It wasn't that she didn't believe that sort of thing, it was just that she wouldn't put all her money on it. Still, she guessed she could test it out.

"Well, just remember to tell me about your night since mine was a complete bust."

"It's not his fault."

"It's kinda sweet that he's so attached to his grandma. I don't even think mine likes me now that I think about it. It's probably because she thinks my mom is a slut. Which, I mean, I could understand."

"I'm glad mine likes me," Pepper smiled. "How does my hair look?"

"Perfect. You're welcome for the suggestion, too," Morgan smugly responded. "What's the plan tonight?"

"I don't know what he's up to," she said as she put on her bracelet and matching earrings. "But I told him before he started thinking about it that it doesn't have to be over the top."

"Maybe you should had said that about the gifts."

"I did, but I think Tony knows."

"If I had a boyfriend that rich, I'd keep my mouth shut and cash in the diamonds."

Pepper chuckled. She had a point, but she didn't need that sort of stuff. She wasn't materialistic. "Sure."

"Was that your doorbell," Morgan asked curiously.

"How did you hear that?"

"God, Tony's really early."

"I don't think that's him. It's probably the pizza," Pepper told her as she got up to look out her window. And it was. Peter's to be exact. "Jill broke up with him. He's been moody ever since." She sat down and shrugged. "He's been complaining about how Valentine's the most stupidest holiday ever invented. He's locked himself in his room and has break up songs blasting."

"That's hilarious. I wish I was there," she replied.

"You're not missing out on anything. I just really want to grab a bat, walk into his room, and smash the crap out of his speakers." She gave herself one last look in the mirror and grinned. Getting up, she smoothed out the creases to her dress and went to get her heels off the side of her bed. They were strappy and white with a rounded open toe. "So you really think it's nothing," Pepper asked once again to calm the worries that'd just come back up to the surface.

"I don't think you should jump the gun. If it's serious, I'm sure he'll tell you. I mean, nothing has changed in your relationship, right? He's not acting different," Morgan inquired.

"Like what?"

"Like is he being shady."

"No, I don't think he is."

"He doesn't ignore your texts or calls?"

"No."

"He doesn't keep his phone with him?"

"No."

"And the sex? It's not different, right?"

Pepper hesitated.

"Is it," Morgan asked seriously.

"Well, the last time he was mad at his dad, so I don't know if that counts."

"Wasn't that like a week ago?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Okay," Pepper asked. "What?"

"I just thought you guys slept with each other since."

"Well, he probably wants to, but doesn't want to push it because we're still trying to patch things up."

"Alright, that makes more sense. I forgot about that."

"So nothing?"

"No, think you're fine," Morgan assured with a smile.

"I guess that's sort of a relief."

"But, seriously, if he doesn't try to have sex with you tonight-"

"Something is wrong. I know."

"But don't let your thoughts keep you away from a nice time."

"I'm pretty sure I won't be thinking about it during the night."

"Good, because you shouldn't." Morgan heard the doorbell again and that's when the both of them said their goodbyes and hung up. "Have fun, bestie."

Tony took a deep breath as he got out of the car, flowers in toll.

He straightened his tie and knocked on the door. _Please don't let it be Pepper's dad. __Please don't let it be Pepper's dad. __Please don't let it be Pepper's dad. _

"Those are nice," Victoria answered with a smile.

"Thanks." He was certain she liked him more than Pepper's father did at the moment. "Are you about to leave," he asked, noticing she was dressed up.

"Once Richard's home," she confirmed.

"Pepper's not ready yet," Tony asked, looking around the kitchen and seeing no sign of her.

"Just a couple more minutes," she responded. "I'll put those in a vase for you if you'd like."

"Oh, flowers." It had taken Tony a moment to find his words. "Right." He handed her the bouquet.

Victoria chuckled. "Relax. Pepper told me this is your first Valentine's Day. No need to be nervous."

That's when he heard it, the familiar sound of high heels clacking against the kitchen floor.

He glanced at Pepper and they locked eyes for a brief second. She had on a contrast dress, which featured a fitted waist, cut-away shoulders, and a rounded neckline. It hugged her body perfectly.

She eyed the roses her mom had just mentioned and smiled before turning around, albeit slowly, and on purpose.

Which worked. His eyes did a double take before becoming permanently fixated on the back of her dress. Its black neckline rounded into trouser straps that also closed in length until it met with the black of her skirt. The white body portion took on a stretched out v-shape, the point of intersection on the small of her back. A zip back closure held the dress together in between the two straps, but, really, he didn't care about all this. What he cared about was that her skin was exposed and it gave his girlfriend a layer of sex appeal that currently left him speechless. He swallowed at the sight in front of him. All he wanted was to jump her, like a predator would its prey in the wild.

Pepper turned and looked at Tony in amused interest, not oblivious to what'd been going on. He might be a complicated individual, but he was still a guy, and all guys operated in a similiar fashion.

She walked up to him and he refused to look up when she came a little too close to him at the kitchen island, which worked for about a second. "New dress," he asked after skimming her over from head to toe.

"Did you see the back," she inquired, knowing for a fact he did.

He gulped when Pepper turned around.

She gave him a couple seconds before craning her head so she could look over her shoulder. "I thought you would like it."

He tore his eyes off her and cleared his throat. "We should go," he decided to say instead. "Reservations at 7:30, Pepper."

"Yeah, because you care about that," Pepper mumbled as she led them out the front door.

She could feel his eyes on her as they got to his car and smiled to herself.

And then, as if on cue, he spoke. "Shouldn't you grab a jacket? It's chilly."

"You have a jacket in the car. If I need it, I'll use it."

"Still..." He trailed off when Pepper abruptly stopped walking. "You have nothing but a dress on," he told her, waving in her general direction. He wasn't about to let the perverts at the restaurant ogle her like he'd been doing.

"Come on, like you just said, reservations at 7:30." She couldn't help it, messing with his brain was great entertainment.

"Wait." Tony grabbed her hand and stopped her from opening his car door. He waited until Pepper turned around. "Did you look at the time?"

She let out a small smile, indicating she did.

"So are you happy? Or disappointed," Tony inquired.

"I..."

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I know, I haven't updated in forever and I haven't forgotten! I've got some time on my hands again, so that's good news, right?! So what do you guys think? Who won the bet? I'm leaning more towards one than the other, but I'm wondering who'd you guys want to win! <strong>


	42. Lovesick Satellite

It was halfway through dessert when Tony finally asked her. "So what's the story behind that dress?"

She finished her bite of caramel coffee ice cream and looked up. "Why does there have to be a story?"

He scoffed when she accompanied her question with an intentional smile.

"I told you," Pepper continued, setting her spoon down. "I thought you'd like it, which you did. And just a little word of advice, please try not to get a boner in front of my mother the next time you visit."

"It's still there," Tony smiled triumphantly. "You could do something about that."

She shook her head and stated, "You do know being inappropriate is not going to get you any further than a make out session tonight."

"You say that like it's a bad thing, which it's not. Besides, I'll change your mind."

This time she scoffed. "In your dreams."

"Well, in my dreams, we've already had sex like four times already, so I'm good."

"You disgust me," Pepper replied, biting back a smile.

"You disgust me, too," he retorted. "Which is great, we'll be disgusting together."

She laughed at his lame comeback and proceeded to swat his spoon away with her hand when he tried to reach in for a taste of her ice cream. "No way. You don't share with me, I don't share with you."

"Come on," he pouted.

"It's a two way street."

He pushed his banana cream pie towards her. "Here."

The dessert was more than finished, all that was left was the crust, but, overall, she was just teasing around. "Are you serious," Pepper asked in an offended fashion. She wanted to give him a hard time.

"The crust is the best part. Did nobody tell you that?"

"That's for pizza," she corrected.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't apply to pies, too. Stop being so narrow minded."

She put her spoon in her mouth and licked off what was left on the utensil with a nonverbal response. She hummed and pretended to think about it for a second before pushing her plate closer to him. "I guess I can let you have some."

Tony cheered and smiled. "Yay!"

"Don't like the crust," she asked. She noticed Tony hadn't touched it at all.

"Not this kind. It's kinda funky."

Pepper tore off a piece and tried it herself. He had taken her to an Asian restaurant and it only made sense that their desserts had a flair to it. She tasted the funky flavor he'd been talking about and she had a feeling it was lemongrass.

"That's disgusting," he mentioned, causing her to look at him.

"What?"

"There."

She glanced over to where he nodded his head at and saw a couple making out in one of the booths.

"I mean get a room."

She had to admit, it made her cringe. She didn't mind public displays of affection, but certain couples took it too far. "I think he gave an engagement ring to the hostess just before they sat down to eat."

"That is so cliché," he retorted.

"You don't think it's romantic?"

"No. Cause what if she didn't want to, but feels obligated just because he asked on Valentine's Day?"

"I never thought about it like that," she realized a couple seconds later.

"I just think if you decide to propose to somebody it should be original."

"So does that mean I can expect that from you if we make it that far?"

"Okay, how about this? If we do, it'll be this date."

She drew her brows in confusion. "This date? You mean tonight? You-"

"Hold on," he interrupted, stopping her. He grabbed the bill holder and opened it to see its amount. "Whatever the first three numbers are is what...there." He closed it shut and put it out of her reach. "I have a date set." He smiled when she stared at him in honest curiosity.

"Can I see," Pepper finally asked.

"That sort of defeats the purpose of it being a surprise," Tony explained.

"But the year will still be a mystery and that is enough for me," Pepper argued. She scooted closer to him at the rounded booth in their seat and laid her hands on his thigh. "Please?"

"You can't flirt your way into this." And there was no way he'd let her. He let out a tiny laugh when he felt her hand slide further up. "Do whatever you want, Pep, my lips are sealed."

With the check paid, the both of them were now walking down the cold streets of Los Angeles. He quickly noticed Pepper was shivering and instead of rubbing it in her face, he shrugged off his jacket and waited until she was in front of him to put it on her shoulders.

His mom would have his head if he wasn't a gentleman, so he did what was right...even if it meant he'd be the one freezing his ass off.

"Where is this place at," she asked him.

"Just around the corner," he responded.

"You couldn't get it beforehand?"

"Wasn't done until this morning," Tony explained as he felt her link her arm around his. "Just wait here, I don't want you to see it yet."

"You're gonna leave me in the cold," she pouted.

"Uh..." He fidgeted where he stood and bit his lip.

She let him think about it a minute longer before shooting him a smile. "I'm joking. Go. Idiot."

"It'll just be a second," he said to her, leaning in to give her a quick kiss before heading inside the jewelry store. He had gotten something custom made for Pepper and hadn't had the chance to pick it up.

Pepper dug her hands inside the pockets and looked around. The atmosphere felt so romantic and couples everywhere were walking down the streets holding hands or snuggling against each other in the restaurants.

"Got it," he announced.

She whipped her head back around. "What's inside?"

Tony tucked the box into his jean pocket. "Later." He fished out his keys and unlocked his Audi. "You bought comfy clothes, right? Because you can't do what we're about to do with what you're wearing."

"Of course."

"Awesome."

"Do I get a hint," she asked as she got inside the car.

He smiled. "Nope. You'll find out when we get there."

* * *

><p>"Your big surprise is inside your house," Pepper asked as he pulled into the driveway of his house. She followed Tony out the car and smiled to herself when he grabbed her bag so she could put his jacket on again.<p>

"My house is full of surprises. You haven't even seen a third of it." He gestured her to one of the downstairs bathrooms. "You can change while I make sure everything's ready."

She nodded and grabbed her bag.

"JARVIS," he said into the empty atmosphere. Tony took a big plop onto the sofa and sighed. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the small jewelry box out to twirl in his hands. "Everything's set up?"

"As you wished."

He opened the box that held the pair of diamond earrings he'd gotten for Pepper and stared at it in thought. He hoped she liked it as much as he did.

"Is this alright?"

He quickly snapped shut and shoved the box into his jeans once again before she noticed anything. He looked at her and saw she had on ankle sweats and a white v-neck from Victoria's Secret. "Perfect."

"I can't believe you have an elevator in your home," Pepper said as she walked inside it.

"Really? What if I said this house has eight stories?"

Her jaw hung open. She turned to him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"Well, if you exclude the sub-levels and the pool and the theatre, then three." The doors opened and he stepped inside his father's workshop, Pepper behind him as he headed for the far end of the room.

She looked around in awe. The place literally felt like a vintage car museum. "I thought you had a lot of cars."

"That's just the ones he keeps here." He stopped midway and pointed to his dad's 1962 Corvette. "You see that dent? Whenever my mom was out of town, my dad would watch me and he'd always give me messed up circuit boards to figure out. I guess one time I needed an internal resistor and he was asleep on the couch so I couldn't ask him. I go and grab a crowbar and try to pop the hood to get the ignition coil and I can't. My mom says she was watching the entire thing until I decided to show it how I felt."

Pepper chuckled. "Even if you did open it, you couldn't see inside it. You were too short."

"I would've gotten a step stool. I'm smart like that."

"How old were you," she ask curiously.

"Uh, around three?"

She grinned. "That's adorable." She could imagine him as a toddler and being determined to get something fully functional again without thinking things through. A trait he still had. "Little Tony at work."

"I think my mom has it saved somewhere on tape."

"Really? Where," she exclaimed, full of excitement.

"Wow, don't get excited all at once," he sarcastically retorted. He put his hand on the computerized grid JARVIS had pulled up to scan for recognition.

"I can't help it! I can just imagine you with your tongue out."

He shook his head at her uncontainable excitement. He wasn't even going to ask why she knew that. "Okay. I'll let my mom dig it up for you then."

"Thank you." She smiled as she gave him a kiss on the cheek before following him into a large, and for the most part, empty room. She saw a table that spanned the length of the room a couple steps in, which prevented them from crossing any further than where they stood.

"I kind of feel like I'm being held captive," she said.

Tony glanced at her and quirked his brow. "Afraid?"

"Curious."

"Pep, relax, it'll be worth it." A numeric keypad popped up and he punched in the code, hearing Pepper gasp not a second later when the surface of the table slid open to reveal what was hidden interiorly.

"Oh my god, is that what I-" She stared at all the weapons in front of her, her train of thought lost.

"I'm guessing you've never used one," Tony asked.

"I'm gonna get to shoot stuff?" It was as if once her initial shock wore off, she couldn't be more eager to start.

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, but safety first, remember?" He picked up a standard weapon and checked if the gun was loaded before giving her instructions. "So you're gonna use your dominant hand to hold it. Your index finger should be extended out and not on the trigger and the rest of your fingers should be curled right below it." He took an unloaded gun out and handed it to her so she could learn. "You're holding it too tight." He leaned over and helped her out a bit. "There. You're not gonna get an accurate shot if you hold it too tight. And your other hand is gonna support the weight. Your fingers have to be underneath the trigger, but it doesn't matter where you set it, just as long as its comfortable. And make sure you're clear of the slide."

"So like this?" She positioned her hands on the gun similiar to his and watched as he checked her. She was glad her crime shows paid off.

"Yeah, then you just..." Moving targets made themselves visible and he shot them all down.

She jumped at the loudness and raised her hands to cover her ears.

"Oops, forgot." He handed her a pair of earmuffs and protective glasses and shrugged at her.

"You are way too good at this."

"You just need to practice and I've got the perfect targets for you." He watched her face as they were revealed.

Pepper had to admit, it was perfect. "Kermit?"

"Thought they'd make you more determined."

"I already wanna shoot them."

"Go ahead." He stepped back and stood behind her. "Your elbow needs to be straight so it lines up with the gun and points at the target, and your other hand should..." He flexed her non-dominant elbow at an angle and told her she was ready to go.

She fired her first shot. And missed. No surprise there.

"You released before the gun fired. That's why you missed, Pep." Other than that, he was amazed at close she had been. Another couple tries and she'd get it.

She frowned.

"Keep trying."

She raised her gun again and fired rapidly, and with those eleven shots, she hit her target. "Oh my God, did you see that?!" She placed the gun on the table and glanced at Tony in amazement. "I did it!" She looked at her work, filled with happiness.

"You did good." That was all he wanted out of tonight. For her to have a good time. The smile on her face was definitely worth it.

"Can we go another? I want to be as good as you are."

"Um, as good as me? Are you serious?" He came up next to her, picked his gun up to slide the lock back, and gave her a smirk. "You will never be as good as me, but it's adorable that you think you can."

"I can! Just wait and see."

"I'm sure," Tony retorted.

She stuck her tongue out at him and before they knew it two hours passed, and it was soon ten o'clock.

"I can't believe we ran out of bullets," she complained.

"Your fault, Pep. You're the one who used all of them."

"Still! You should've been more prepared!"

"We went through 50 rounds. You do the math, that-"

"Is not enough," she interrupted.

"I didn't know you'd enjoy it that much," Tony replied.

She huffed as she followed him into the living room without another word. He was right, she had used most of the bullets, but what'd he expect her to do when she was having that much fun?

"Besides, I'm pretty sure you'll like what comes next."

"Of course," Pepper smiled. He had suggested that they exchange gifts and be done for the night. She picked up her bag from the floor and searched inside as he pulled out the box from his jeans pocket.

He sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. He was suddenly nervous again.

"Hey, don't worry, I'll love it," she assured.

He tried to give her his own reassuring smile when he heard her, but it didn't do much good.

"Tony, it's jewelry, there's no way I won't."

"But in case you don't, just tell me and I'll have it swapped out for something else."

"Can I just have it," Pepper asked. It wasn't that she didn't want to calm his fears anymore, she just thought getting it over with would give him some peace of mind.

"Okay." He handed the box to her and bit his lip.

She opened the velvet covered box slowly and inside it sat a pair of sparkling Euro-wire back morganite heart-shaped earrings. The stone was outlined with diamonds and was resting in a metal base with prongs. "It's beautiful." She echoed her statement earlier, she loved it.

"I'm thinking they'll go well with your blue hair."

"And now you ruined the moment." She snapped shut the box and gave Tony a small glare.

"Hey, I won fair and square. Two minutes early."

"But does it need to be blue? There is so much-"

"Nah, mind's made up. Say goodbye to red hair."

"I really thought I was going to win."

"But I promised. I always keep them," Tony said.

She smiled. "You do. And here." She picked up her little gift bag and handed it to her. "I wasn't sure what to get a boyfriend who practically has everything, so I just picked up things here and there."

Tony took away the tissue paper and pulled out a card and smiled. The girl was holding the guy's face and he was blushing. On the side of the stick figures read: **I like your face**. He'd read the inside of it later. He pulled out a keychain next. It held a soccer ball and next to it was a bar attached to it that had their initials and the day they met engraved on it.

"Oh, this one's my favorite," she said as he pulled out a small wrapped gift.

He stared at her in confusion and opened it. "You didn't." He couldn't believe what she had gotten her. It was an apology notepad. On the notes were dates and options for infraction and beneath it was a check all, or some, selection for the reason of behaviors. And finally at the bottom was a signed statement of him signing if he would or would not do it again in the future. "This is awesome. I'm using it."

"I knew you would."

"Thanks, Pep, and for these." He pulled out a pair of boxers she'd gotten him and smiled. They were a bit girlish, with the small and large hearts and arrows and all, but it was from her so it didn't matter.

"I had a lot of fun tonight. It's different than what I'm used to."

"Different?" Did that mean he didn't do as good as he thought?

She nodded. "This felt like a date because you didn't make a grand thing out of it all like people think you should and I'm fine with that. I mean, I like the romance and everything, but it's not necessary."

That was nice to hear. "Oh, almost forgot. I have another surprise in my room," he said with a smile.

She laughed. "Is that code for sex?"

"No," he questioned. "Wait...what?"

Pepper raised her brow in a questionable nature.

"I just realized how that sounded, but no...wait, yes, no, wait, yeah, no, eventually, but just not yet. I'm gonna stop talking before I confuse myself."

Pepper laughed again. "I like it when you're flustered. It's cute."

He sighed. "Just come up with me."

She relented and followed him to the second story of his house.

"JARVIS, can you remind me where I put it," Tony asked as they entered his room.

"Underneath the mess of homework you call tidiness," the AI retorted with a tone.

"Hey, don't be jealous that you can't understand my madness."

She shook her head as she listened to Tony and JARVIS banter. "Your room is so clean and then you see your desk and it's like what the hell is that?"

"Fine, take his side."

"That's not what I was doing."

"Okay, what were you doing?"

"I was-" Pepper let out a huff.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," he said, not bothering to hide the superiority laced in his words. "Here we go." He dropped his stack of papers on top of more stacked paper and handed her another jewelry encased box. "I wanted to get you something to go with your earrings and I couldn't find anything right that matched so I brought a bunch of gems and garnet and made something that went along with it. I'm confident you'll love it."

"You made it," she asked, shocked at what she had just heard.

"Yeah, here," he answered with a small smile. "Take it already."

She sat down on the sofa that was next to her with the box in her hand.

"I got to tell you to open it too," he teased as he took a seat next to her.

She couldn't believe Tony went through all the trouble do this. "Don't rush me. It's not a nice thing to do."

"I'm not good at waiting. You still haven't realized that," he quipped. Three seconds later and he realized himself that he had just let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

She nodded. Suspended on the necklace was an oval Raspberry garnet embraced in swirls of Chocolate Quartz. The design took the shape of a heart in Strawberry Gold and gave it a beautiful touch.

As if the look on her face didn't give it away already, Pepper loved it.

"Tony, this is very thoughtful."

"Look, I chose that gem because it's red and-"

"That's your favorite color, I know." She smiled at him and her nose wrinkled a little as she leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss. She loved these kinds of kisses, the soft and gentle ones that made her feel warm inside.

"You want me to take you home?"

She watched as he stood up in front of her and before she could give him her response, he said something.

"You know so I can spend the night keeping you warm."

Three seconds ago she'd been worried he had wanted to end their night, but now she wanted to slap him.

"You've been cold the entire night. I need to be a good boyfriend and make sure you don't get sick, Potts."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason."

"Really," he asked, keeping their banter alive.

"Well, I'm just wondering why you would rather keep me warm in my bed when yours is nicer and bigger."

"You mean that one?" He used his thumb and pointed over his shoulder. "What are you suggesting, Pep?"

"Put it together, Sherlock."

Pepper stood up and placed her hands on his chest just to push him onto the couch. She watched as he looked up at her, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"What are you..." He couldn't form a coherent sentence, being so incredibly turned on with the girl in front of him. "Is this because of the gift because I-"

She straddled him and moved her hands up his chest to rest them on his shoulders as she kissed him. He was surprised by the suddenness of her actions but hastily recovered and kissed her back just as hard. The both of them knew what was about to happen and as much as Tony would like to take the reigns, he couldn't pass up the opportunity of having her in charge. In control.

He switched positions and brought her with him as he laid down on the couch, his head on the arm of the sofa, and her on top of him. Their kisses were more passionate this time around and he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face when he felt her loosen his tie.

"Wait," Tony mumbled in between kisses. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Her lips smiled in return. He was right. It was a Happy Valentine's.

* * *

><p><strong>Hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was a lot of fluff, wasn't it? If you're curious about Pepper's gifts, you can search them up on Google using the description in the text and they should pop right up, and, of course, I don't own them. <strong>


	43. More Than Goodbye

**Hey guys, before you read on, I've got some bad news. It looks like this story of mine is coming to an end in another chapter or two. I haven't decided which, but the decision alone was hard, and ultimately the longer I thought about doing this, the more I feel it is time I did. In the meantime, as I sit on my dilemma, please enjoy the new excerpt in the lives of our favorite MCU couple!**

* * *

><p>"No, Howard. I agreed to five months."<p>

"I can't afford to hold it off any longer."

"So fire Fredrick and get your head accountant to New York."

"Maria, you think I would have asked if I could do it myself?"

"He deserves a normal life. After everything we put him through, we owe him that."

"Maria, they're dealing under the table. My reputation will be ruined if this gets out."

"Howard..."

"I will not have that dead son of a bitch ruin me."

"You know sometimes I tell myself you couldn't possibly love that company more than our family, but then you drop this on my lap, and suddenly I understand why our son hates you so much."

"I need you there," he pressed. "You're the only one I trust."

"He has a life here. Friends. School. A girlfriend. He can stay here until June comes."

"What? You're afraid he won't be able to adapt? Cause that is just ridiculous, Maria."

"That's not what I'm worried about!"

"This is how it has to be! Letting him stay here is no different than what we've been doing to him his entire life. You want to be more traditional? This is the price. I don't know what to tell you."

She knew her husband was right, but she just wanted Tony to have a sense of normalcy until school ended.

"So five days. Is that fine with you?"

Maria nodded. "I'll go tell Tony then."

"Hey, no." He stopped her by grabbing her hand. "I'll do it. It's my fault. I'll take the backlash of this, Maria."

"You're on your last leg, Howard. We both know you don't have any more chances with him. I'm doing this."

* * *

><p>Tony let out a deep breath, his heart hammering. It was now or never. "I'm leaving."<p>

"Sure." She closed her browser and shut off her laptop thinking he was going home.

He swallowed the lump in his throat before clarifying to her what that statement really meant. "No, Pepper, I'm leaving. To New York." She had his full attention once those words spilled out of his mouth. "On Friday. I don't know if I'll come back."

"What do you mean you're leaving to New York?"

He wasn't sure which part of that was confusing.

"How long?"

"How long?"

"Yes," she replied, a lot louder than needed.

He shouted back. "I just said I don't know!"

"It's just..." She let out a frustrated breath and got off the chair she was on to sit by him on the bed, concern on her face. There was no reason to let this lead into a fight. "Friday? Did you just find out?"

"I, I, um..." Alarms went off when he started stammering.

Eyes laced with newfound indignation, Pepper finished his sentence for him. "You knew about it beforehand."

"It's not like that."

"Okay, so explain."

"It's..." He sighed.

"It's what? Because here's how I see it. I can think of several times where I've asked you if something was up and all those times you've said it was nothing. You always do this. Why," Pepper questioned.

"Always do what?"

"You never tell me what's on your mind."

"I did."

"That's not what I mean. These past two weeks I've been thinking something was wrong with you and I could understand why you were acting the way you were, but I was frustrated because I see how much progress you've made and it just felt like you were just closing off again. You kept telling me it's nothing. This is not nothing. This is serious. This changes everything about how's it going to be from now on. Look, I'm not mad, but I am upset about the fact that you kept quiet about this for weeks and never bothered to tell me until the very last minute. It's what you always do and it's what I hate."

"I didn't know until Sunday that we had to move. My parents originally told me it'd be once school was over."

"And when were you planning on telling me then? Because my guess would be somewhere near June 10th."

"Really," Tony fumed. "You think I would have told you the day before school was out? Give me some credit."

"I would if you didn't have such a bad track record."

"I thought you weren't mad."

"I'm not. I'm telling you the truth; it's what I see."

"I said I'd work on it. It doesn't happen overnight."

"And progress would be nice."

"Why do you always bust my ass about this? I'm doing the best I can. It might not be the way you want it, but I'm trying. You're not perfect in this relationship either."

"I never once said I was! We both have our faults."

"Then maybe you should start acting like it, okay?"

She didn't know what to say. Why was everything that happened to her a year ago now happening all over again? Was she cursed? _Why can't I have a normal relationship for once? _This wasn't fair. At all.

They sat in tense silence, both glued to their spot, neither daring to be the first speak out of fear of what it might lead to. He's thought about it. Breaking up. As much as he'd like to be together, he was a realist and he couldn't leave it up to chance.

"What are we gonna do," Pepper finally asked. She looked up and met his eyes, no longer able to ignore the question on her mind.

"That's what I want to talk about." She kept quiet so he continued. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to make promises I won't be able to keep and I can't honestly tell you that I haven't thought of breaking up. For all I know, we could break up down the road. It's not something either of us can control. We could grow in different directions or you could just get tired of me screwing up and say you've had enough."

"Or it could be the exact opposite."

"Yeah, I've thought about that, but will we? I hope we do, but I keep wondering if our relationship is even strong enough to. I keep thinking about your last relationship and I realized if a relationship like yours that had been going on for two years had such an ability to fall apart just because of distance, how long is ours gonna survive? We've been together almost five months. That's apples and oranges."

Why did she suddenly feel like she was fighting to keep their relationship together? He had just said he wanted to stay together, but she was getting a feeling that it was the complete opposite. She didn't want to prolong their conversation any longer than it had to be.

"It sounds like you've already decided what's about to happen."

"No, I haven't," he stated, his stare matching her intense one.

"No, you have," Pepper clarified. She got off the bed and stood in front of Tony with anger burning inside of her. How dare he use her past relationship to pass judgement on theirs. "You're just dragging it on to see what'll happen. I'm not interested in playing games."

"Pepper, I'm not up to anything," he replied.

"Just do it. If you're going to break up with me, just do it. I'm not fragile, I can handle it."

"I said I've thought about it. Doesn't mean I want to," he frustratedly said.

"But it's what you're leaning towards, isn't it? It's okay, Tony, I get it. You see things in percentages and numbers and you calculate the odds and all that stuff and you've come to the conclusion that our relationship has less of a chance surviving if we're apart than it would if we're together. Or maybe it had nothing to do with that and more to do with the uncertainty that comes along with it. We've been through a lot, we've experienced things most couples will never in their lives ever experience, and we're still here. We have something special and if you want to let distance get in the way of that - fine."

He was willing to talk this out before, but now he was just furious that she was attacking him for no reason at all. So she had a point, he was leaning toward one over the other, but his mind wasn't made up and all he wanted to do at this moment was agree with her out of spite.

But instead he showed restrain. Something that surprised him. "I hate when you do this. Our relationship isn't a game to me, Pepper. And, yeah, I'm immature when it comes to things as serious as this, and maybe it's careless and frustrating, but at least I own up to them. I don't go and give you bullshit excuses. You think I want us to end our relationship? Because I don't. I care a lot about you and us. Sometimes I even think of what it'll be like if we make it in the future, but it's not something I care about at this second. I want simple. I am tired of complications and that's what defines a long distance relationship, but it's not like I'm pointing to your past and saying 'that's my reason for it.'"

She had calmed down and was listening to every word. It still felt like he wanted to break up, but she let him continue talking.

"I'm not scared of distance, Pep. It's more about what comes along with it."

"I don't understand," she thought curiously.

Tony sighed. Did he really have to say the words? "I'm scared of losing you."

"Are you serious?" Her response to his admission was not at all judgmental.

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted them. He couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"Tony, it's not going to happen."

"And I'm sure you mean that, but can't promise me that."

She could see the insecurities in his eyes once he glanced at her. "It won't."

"And I'm sure you said the same exact thing to your ex before you moved."

"It always goes back to Robert."

"What? So you're telling me you guys didn't have the same exact conversation that we're having now?"

"So now it's about trust, right?"

"It's more like I know you can do better than me. It's more like I'm afraid someone will come along who's better suited for you and you'll notice and think 'look, he's got his entire life together. He doesn't act like a ten year old on a sugar high and he has the same values as I do.'"

"You're saying that like I want you to change. Tony, I don't. You're enough."

He scoffed, the doubt in his voice as evident as the look on his face. "Right."

Pepper didn't know how to proceed. It would hurt to say goodbye to someone you cared so deeply about knowing life wouldn't be the same without them, but it was better to give up rather fight knowing it'd only be you truly giving it your all in the process.

"But, still, I know you're in my life for a reason, and I don't want to give up on us, so whatever you want I'll do it," Tony said. "Just tell me."

You know what? It was alright. It'd be selfish on her part to make him stay.

"It doesn't matter," she replied, doing her best to keep her emotions out of her voice. Her lips graced him a sad smile. "Things aren't right for us at this moment and I get you're afraid and I could say all I want to cast aside your doubts, but evidently, it's up to you and what you need. It's nice of you to want to do what I want, but it's selfish of me to keep you anchored to something you don't want to be a part of. We'll just fight so much if we did and I'd rather us leave things as it is now than having things get so terrible that we can't even be in the same room with each other. It's going to be hard, but it's what's right. You're right. You've been through a lot. You deserve simple and I hope you get it." That was when she couldn't hold it anymore. Her tears and voice got the best of her, but somehow she still managed to pull the words out. "Go to New York. Have fun. I'll be just fine."

"No you won't," he softly said as he stepped forward so his finger could help wipe away her sadness. Each time Pepper sniffed, it ripped a part of his heart. He closed his eyes as he felt her arms go around his waist, her face buried in his chest, his shirt soaking her tears. He was struggling not to break himself.

Those three words were enough to coax Pepper out of his embrace, albeit slowly and unwillingly. His reached out and wiped yet another tear before settling his hand on her cheek. She leaned towards the touch and closed her eyes. She could feel Tony closing the distance, and before she knew it, he had leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. It was soft, an apology for everything that had happened just now, but if he was going to leave, there was no way she would let him go with something like that. She pulled him closer and deepened with pressure, the kiss filled with undeniable passion and love.

"I have to go," he whispered breathlessly. He pulled back not because he wanted to but because he had to. There was things to pack, and as much as a genius he was, he still had to study for the final he had for AP History tomorrow. Well, it wasn't technically studying. He just glanced at the pictures and scanned the text, if you could even call it scanning. He usually got to about the third paragraph before falling asleep.

He couldn't get his mind to overpower his internal conflict, which was why he didn't think twice about kissing her again. Her back hit the wall with a thud and her head came to rest on his left shoulder as he kissed down her neck. She couldn't prevent another tear from slipping as Tony let go. Neither of them wanted this and it wasn't anyone's fault. It was what was best and sometimes it was what things came down to when they both had issues with each other and couldn't fix before the hard part began. They started with the best intentions months ago and here they stood now in a semi-amicable split.

"You're the best. I hope you to know that." He was never going to find another girl like her, and he knew that, but somehow, that eased his mind because that meant no girl could ever replace her either.

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><p><strong>You guys better leave some reviews! Tony and Pepper's happiness depends on it! I'm kidding...wait, no I'm not. Or am I? You'll just have to find out! <strong>**But, seriously, all jokes aside, I'd appreciate it. I truly miss getting them. It makes this worth it. I'll update in another two-three weeks, so be prepared!**


	44. Space In My Heart

It's been twenty eight hours since they'd last seen each other. Twenty eight hours since their last kiss, and regardless of how many hours had passed, it was all she could think about. It was amazing how something so simple could affect her so profoundly.

She remembered every detail of it. His hand cupping her cheek, the softness of his lips, and the look in his eyes as they broke apart. It was painful. Her heart ached.

Him diving in for another kiss. The feeling of his mouth on her neck and his hands on her waist.

Regret. She was kicking herself for what she had done just twenty eight hours ago. It was such a big mistake. A mistake she wanted to take back so badly and yet wouldn't because together they agreed.

She wasn't fine. Not for the next couple months. She lied. A part of her hoped he'd be miserable and another part hated him. He had barged in without so much as a hello. Asserting himself anywhere he could, bothering her with his quirks and inappropriate jokes and innuendos. She wasn't sure when they crossed the line of infuriating to what she looked forward to most during the end of the school day.

She remembered the first day they met. The way his brows creased as he tried to figure out if she had been telling the truth about her name.

It surprised her just how long he had taken to come up to her when she'd seen him staring at her several times.

_"That's what you're going with?"_

She recalled neither confirming or denying his question, which made the gears in his brain turn a little bit harder.

_"It's not like I'm gonna bug you until you tell me your name or something."_

She responded by asking if he didn't believe her and she laughed at his response. Something about how her name could only be 'Pepper' if her parents were stoned when she was born. Whether she liked to admit it or not, he had made an impact on her with that moment alone.

The way he had so not casually slipped in the fact that he was having a party and asked if she would come.

Then there was the time she found out she'd be stuck with him as a lab partner. Granted, she wasn't as overjoyed as any girl would be at the news, but in the end, she was grateful for alphabetical order.

She remembered how he made her smile for the first time. She called him annoying because he kept bombarding her with questions.

With this genuine eye creasing smile on his face he replied with, _"Well, I happen to think being annoying is the same thing as being adorable."_

Calling him an ass wasn't her proudest moment, but it was what she had.

_"An adorable ass, which I do have, by the way. If you're interested, I'm..."_

It was also the first of many times he had made her cheeks red. Everything was all just light-hearted teasing until it wasn't.

He admitted his feelings. She refused to believe it. It left him devastated, and that kind of devastation had spoken volumes.

_"I've never seen him put so much effort into anything the three years I've known him like he does with you. You can hold your own against him and you don't take crap from him and he needs someone like that in his life. You know he was never going to talk to you again? I found him in the locker room that one time just sitting there heartbroken_._" _Words from the mouth of his friend. "_He was hurt you turned him down, but he was more upset at himself for having let someone get to him the way you had, because he's spent his entire life building this wall up to protect himself from that very situation."_

She just never knew how true that was until she dove head first into a relationship with him. Even now, it was tough to crack, but with his help the bricks were crumbling down centimeter by centimeter.

The hurricane of these last three months. His parents' faked deaths. It had almost ended them, yet it didn't because they fought against it, even if they were at each other's throats. Because they valued what they had and didn't want to see it burn to ashes.

So why wasn't it like that this time around? Compared to everything else, this should be simple.

_"I keep wondering if our relationship is even strong enough to...if a relationship like yours that had been going on for two years had such an ability to fall apart just because of distance, how long is ours gonna survive?"_

_"I want simple. I am tired of complications and that's what defines a long distance relationship."_

_"It's more like I know you can do better than me. It's more like I'm afraid someone will come along who's better suited for you and you'll notice and think 'look, he's got his entire life together.'"_

And the one admission that hit her the hardest? _"I'm scared of losing you."_

As much as she tried not to see his point, she did. The raw honesty in his voice silenced her in a brutal manner. Like she had said, he saw things in numbers and percentages. It wasn't his fault. That was how his brain was wired. He was the type of person who liked things that were concrete. Ocean currents. The sound of a tree falling in the middle of the forest. Natural selection. How fast light can travel. Things you honestly say worked a certain way. Love wasn't defined as such. It never would. He couldn't measure it or make an equation for it and it scared him enough to believe this was what was best.

But then she remembered what he had told her at the benefit.

_"Life is too short...live in the moment. Don't let fear of the unknown run your life." _

Isn't that what he was doing? Letting fear make his decisions?

She wouldn't even make it if she drove to his house right now. Her heart was telling her to pick up the phone and dial his number, but her instincts overrode the decision every time she tried to pick it up. She couldn't bring herself to hear the sound of his voice again.

Part of her thinks he'll call before he boards the plane, but she knows the chances of that happening are slim. She gets as far as the call screen before backing out seconds later. What was she even going to say? She looks at the photo of them she had set as his contact and deletes it, but she knows seconds later she'll go back and re-add it to her photo album. For now it lessened the temptation of calling if she couldn't physically see happier times.

And then suddenly it hits her. He may not come back. This was it. Did she want that? No. Because some where in their argument she did what she swore she would never do. She gave up. Not him. Her.

_"But, still, I know you're in my life for a reason, and I don't want to give up on us, so whatever you want I'll do it. Just tell me."_

She had gone back on her own words. She was the one who said they had something special. He was willing to do whatever she wanted even if he wasn't sure he should. Her eyes that were once blinded by tears were now crystal clear. This didn't have to be it. She could fix this. She could write her own happiness. Their happiness.

_I'm doing the right thing. _She ignores a momentarily hesitation and goes ahead in dialing his number. _I'm doing the right thing._

* * *

><p><strong>Let me guess, you guys are dying to know what happens next? This chapter was in Pepper's POV and the next, and final, one will be in Tony's. Homage to how this fic began. These last two chapters are relatively short; I was able to bang them out quickly, so for the last time I will definitely relieve your suspenses and upload it up earlier than usual if I get 10+ reviews. Just give me some time to proofread and make final changes :)<strong>


	45. Play On Broken Strings

Images of their last time together plagued his consciousness, and as time passed, the more it hurt. Both their emotions were heightened, and as soon as he walked out that door, an overwhelming sense of sadness rushed over him.

She was gone. He might never see her again.

It was three at night and he was lying in bed, wide awake, consumed with thoughts of her. Her strawberry blonde hair. The splatter of freckles across her skin. Her ocean blue eyes. All he could do was try to block her out of his mind.

Which was wishful thinking.

He hated this. He had doubts, but in the end, he chose her over them and he was kicking himself for letting her make the final decision. Because he was hopeful she would have chosen him, which would give him just the right amount of courage to believe they could do this whatever came their way.

But she didn't and that was it. What else could he do? Drive over there and tell her she made a mistake? No, he couldn't. She was the logical and rational one and whatever she decided he would respect.

He remembered when they first met in class.

He felt like such a dumbass. He remembered glancing at her several times during homeroom and maybe 80% of those stares had been caught by her. But she hadn't rolled her eyes at him or given him a glare so he got up off his seat and walked over to her. He remembered something about Pikachu and saying Togepi was better because it was the only thing he could think of to further their conversation.

Things were going great until he made a suggestive comment. He was asking her about Maryland and the carnivals and she told him she was good with _"things like throwing balls into buckets or shooting at ducks." _He couldn't believe what he said after that. He implied, to a person he'd just met, that she was good with her hands...and she was. Now having experienced those skills firsthand. God, there he went again with the innuendos. But, for a second, it provided temporarily relief from his situation.

The first time she rolled her eyes at him. It was the first time anyone had done that, aside from his mom of course.

When he had suggested they do their lab reports at his house and proceeded to give her a hard time about her not wanting to because she wouldn't be able to resist him. He admired her tenacity. It was a breath of fresh air.

Their bickering. Most of it was just to get under her skin, because it was so much fun, but then suddenly, it wasn't.

He had feelings for her and she had a boyfriend.

He was heartbroken and ignored her during lab.

_"So I'm just supposed to pretend you haven't been giving me the cold shoulder the past week?"_

He feigned innocence, but she was having none of it, so he decided to hint at the problem itself. He snapped and implied she should not care what was going on with him because she wasn't his girlfriend.

When he decided to go for it and lay all his cards on the table. He kissed her and it was amazing. It was everything that came after that wasn't.

He remembered all the harsh words she said to him.

_"We live in the real world, and in the real world, you and I will never work."_

_"Do you even think you would be here if I turned out to be the kind of girl you thought I was?"_

_"You always get the girl, but with me, you didn't. That's why you're doing this. Feelings have nothing to do with it."_

Not choosing him. He knew telling her to fuck off was uncalled for, but she had just crushed his heart and the only thing he could think of was to hurt her the way she had hurt him. It was stupid, but he didn't actually care at that point. He'd just lost the one girl that ever mattered to him.

He spent the next hour of the day in a fog. He convinced himself to write her out of his life and move on because, really, what else could he do at that point? He wouldn't pine after her like a lovesick fool.

Then the explosion at the warehouse and the "death" of his parents. The arguments.

_"We need to share stuff, no matter how difficult it is."_

_"All that matters is you and that's it and it's incredibly selfish. I understand you've been having a rough couple months, but why don't you stop for a minute and think about how all this has affected me? __You ignore me for weeks without so much as an explanation and I have to deal with it while you're off doing whatever the hell it is."_

_"I am sick of being kept in the dark and being the last person to know anything. It makes me feel like I don't matter. For you to buy into someone's words more than ours is beyond hurtful."_

_"I'm not something you can take your frustration out on and I won't be intimidated or coerced into anything I'm not comfortable with. Get it together and find it...I don't care how, but just do, in yourself to make an effort in fixing this because there's no way I can do it myself. I don't want to do it myself and if I have to then that right there tells me all I need to know about us and where this relationship is headed."_

When the dust finally settled. They both admitted to being wrong. Then this.

_"You're saying that like I want you to change. Tony, I don't. You're enough."_

_"It's okay, Tony, I get it. You see things in percentages and numbers and you calculate the odds and all that stuff and you've come to the conclusion that our relationship has less of a chance surviving if we're apart than it would if we're together."_

_"It's nice of you to want to do what I want, but it's selfish of me to keep you anchored to something you don't want to be a part of."_

He thinks maybe he'll call her before he boards the plane, but he realizes how it's going to go. He'll ask if she's alright and she'll pretend she's fine just to spare a conversation they both didn't want. She'll ask if he's on the plane just because. At that point he wants to say what a big mistake he's made, but doesn't out of fear. He'll tell her he has to go and one of them will bring up the idea that they should keep in touch and they do for the first couple weeks. Eventually they'll force themselves to be busy and ignore the texts they've sent to each other. Every memory of the other will be deleted, except one. The one that's each other's favorite and reminds them of better times. And, then one day, they'll be the last thing on each other's mind, and it's like they've never even met.

But he wasn't going to focus on that. He was going to focus on everything good that's happened. She was an unexpected twist in his life. An unexpected twist in the best way possible. Thinking back on it now, it was clear he knew straight away there was something about her he wanted to figure out.

It was still fresh in his mind. The kiss. He could still taste her on his lips and he could feel the burning sensation rising through him as it had that night. He didn't want to go. He wanted to stay and live in that intoxicating world for just a few hours longer before reality checked in.

But that would have just made everything so much more complicated so he forced himself to go.

The next day comes relatively quickly. He's finished packing and feeding his dog. He's in his room deciding what was left for him to bring. He doesn't realize the voicemail she's left for him just seconds ago because it's turned off. JARVIS fails to mention it.

He sees a photo collage of them she had made. It was of their first date and the memory of that made him smile. He really enjoyed himself that night. It was the most fun he'd had in a long time. Picking it up, he looks it over and shoves it into a drawer right beneath where it sat. He didn't want to deal with it. So he grabs a couple things here and there to decorate his room in New York. Giving the area a last once over, he turns off the light and heads for the tarmac on the outskirts of the only home he's ever known.

The plane ride was just a little over five hours and he guesses he can spend the time listening to music and falling asleep on the couch. He turns on his phone and gets a bottle of water. He returns to his seat and notices a red light flashing. It's telling him a voicemail's been left for him. He's not even tempted to listen to it because it's only going to make the pain in his heart a billion times worse. His right pointer finger hovers over the trash button, but he never touches it. Yet. He doesn't want to cave in and he hopes she's hoping he does.

_No, don't do it. It's probably just a goodbye. _It's what he tells himself and it's enough for the time being. His finger touches 'delete' and her name disappears. He didn't want the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

He's hurting, and she's hurting, but there is nothing they could do at this point because the aircraft's already taken flight.

He's reminded of her words. _"It's__ going to be hard, but it's what's right." _He'll just have to bear the weight for them both.

And who knows? Maybe this will only take a couple months and he'll be back in Malibu in time for senior year. And maybe she'll still be hung up on him and he'll still be hung up on her and they'll agree to start over again.

Months pass and he's still in Manhattan. School starts and he sees no signs of him going to back California anytime soon.

A year goes by. Two, then three. It's somewhere in that third year he's back. He's just grabbed his coffee off the counter at a bistro when a certain redhead has run into him and knocks it out of his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's a wrap. I'm kinda sad. Can I tell you how torn I was to not give these two a happy ending? It killed me, but I thought it was fitting because you guys will be able to come up with your own ending and take it from there. This story has been more than I ever thought it could be and I'm shocked more than anyone else that it's been such a hit with you. It's been longer than I ever expected, both lengthwise and time-wise. Again, I just want to thank you guys. Whether you just read silently or left comments. For hitting the favorite and follow button. It's been a good ride and I'm gonna miss this story! <strong>

**I truly believe without your support and kind words, I wouldn't had have the courage to write this. I'm also glad this fic is complete. I was a reader before I was a writer and I told myself if this was going to happen, I HAVE to finish it, so I'm glad I did.**

**Would you guys be interested in a sequel? Right now, I have no plans on writing such, but I have this feeling that I won't be able to stay away from here for long. I've even already thought about a bunch of story lines I could write and it's gotta get out of my head sometime. If you're interested, I will definitely consider writing one. And, for the last time, please leave your thoughts below. Whether it's this chapter, the story; to complain. I'll welcome it. Thanks a bunch!**

**Maybe you'll see me again, Dreamingsstars :)**


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